


Finding You

by being_happy



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Aftercare, Almost Kiss, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Beaches, Caretaking, Chat Blanc - Freeform, Chat Noir is a dominant gentle kitty cat, Cute, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Gentle Chat Noir, Gentle Kissing, Gentle Ladybug, Graphic Character Death, Hot Mess Adrien Agreste, Hot Mess Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Implied Sexual Content, Ladynoir July, Light Angst, Light Smut, Love Confessions, Morning After, Morning Cuddles, Oblivious Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir, Oblivious Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Plans For The Future, Practice Kissing, Protectiveness, Sexual Harassment, Sleepy Cuddles, Sunsets, but its only a dream, light - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-04
Updated: 2020-10-05
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:06:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 31
Words: 118,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25074331
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/being_happy/pseuds/being_happy
Summary: After realizing there might be something more between her and Chat Noir, Ladybug quickly starts falling for the masked hero, not expecting what she finds when she stops.And maybe, finding exactly what she didn't expect, was the best part about it.(This is part of the Ladynoir July 2020 prompts list, all the chapters are tied together.)
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir & Plagg, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug & Tikki
Comments: 213
Kudos: 395





	1. The Wall Between Us

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MiraculouslyHopeful](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MiraculouslyHopeful/gifts).



Chapter 1: The Wall Between Us

Ladybug looked up at Chat Noir, across from her, sitting crisscross as his hands fiddled with the ring on his finger. His eyes studied his Miraculous, with a look of intense focus in his eyes, like something on his mind was making him think about it a little too hard. 

“Chat?” she asked carefully, eyeing him warily. “You okay?”

He was silent a long time, his fiddling fingers stilling as he focused on a spot on the ground beside her, his eyes now unfocused as he fell into deeper thought.

At this point, Ladybug was concerned and reached out to touch him, pushing his shoulder a little bit, but he didn’t respond.

“Chat?” she asked again, “What—”

“I figured it out,” he interrupted, looking up at her with hurt in his eyes.

She gave him a perplexed look, letting her raised hand drop to her lap. “Figured what out?”

He paused for a moment, staring at her with wide eyes as the moonlight above them shone brightly, showing off its beams like a starlit spotlight, making sure that this moment, right here, was getting the attention is deserved.

“Why you won’t accept me,” he said, his knee beginning to tap anxiously. “Or fall for me.”

Ladybug got a sick feeling in her chest. Whenever he would pull one of these on her, she would feel dread that settled over her like a dark cloud, making her not want to answer the question. She would avoid it at all costs, like it was a fire that burned red hot in the pits of where this conversation was going.

She hated hurting him, even though she was interested in someone else, she still cared a lot for Chat Noir. She knew that she wouldn’t be able to do this on her own, without Chat Noir there to help her and make sure she was alright, she was positive she would end up breaking down hard and quitting.

But Chat Noir always had a way of bringing her back, whether it was with a few simple words or a comforting hug, she knew she could count on him to be there when she needed him.

“Chat…” she said, shaking her head and looking down. “You know exactly why I can’t… love you,” she said, hesitant around the word.

Chat nodded, a pained look in his eyes, “I know. I know, I just—” he stopped, looking up and glancing back down, avoiding her eyes. “You don’t trust me.”

“What?” That was just about the most outrageous thing she’s ever heard, of course she trusted him! He was the most trustworthy person she knew, she trusted him with her life and the black cat Miraculous.

“That’s insane, Chat Noir,” she said, shaking her head at him and scooting forward to see his face better. “Of course, I trust you. You’re the most trustworthy person I know, why else would you be my partner?”

“You didn’t choose me,” he said, looking off to the side with a sadness crossing his eyes. “Master Fu did.”

“And?” she questioned, worried about her Kitty. “Who says I wouldn’t have picked you either?”

“You don’t know me under the mask,” he said, getting up from his spot and walking to the edge. “How could you have known?”

This made Ladybug still as she watched Chat Noir with a growing sense of anxiety in her chest, wondering where this was coming from and why he was thinking about it. He’s never looked so disturbed in all the two years she’s known him, and the expression on his face, one laced with sadness and depression, did not suit him at all.

She wondered where her playful Kitty went, and she was willing to fight every akumatised victim even Hawkmoth himself to find him and bring back the Kitty she knows.

“Chat…” she said, getting up and walking to him. She stopped when they stood side by side, the skyscraper looming over the darkening streets of Paris, giving off an eerie glow. She looked down the side of the building, feeling the rays of the sinking sun bounce off the windows and gleam across the city.

If only both of their inner turmoil were as calm as this.

“I don’t know if I would’ve chosen you,” she admitted, her shoulders slumping at the thought of anyone else wearing the black cat Miraculous. “But all I know is I don’t want anyone else right now.” She looked over at him, noticing the way his ears have perked up, listening to her voice. She looked away, back down the gleaming building with reddening cheeks.

“I know there’s this wall between us,” she said, her own tone saddened. “But that doesn’t mean I don’t care about you, or that I want someone else under that mask.” She finally had the courage to look up at him, almost startled when she found him looking at her with wide, surprised eyes.

She smiled at him, “Just know that you’re important to me, even thought we might not know each other’s real names.” She took a deep breath and met his eyes hesitantly, feeling her heart quicken in her chest like a running horse. “And just because I don’t know your name, doesn’t mean I would choose someone else,” she said, reaching out and having the nerve to take his unmoving hand.

“Chat Noir,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper as she smiled at him. “I’d choose you every time.”

Chat only stared at her for a long time, his eyes wide and bearing into hers, studying the emotions and the intentions behind her eyes. The lights of the city and the glow of the sunset only mocked their position, holding hands and looking into the light of each other’s eyes, feeling like a thousand fireworks were going off at once.

A tap dance was playing inside Ladybug’s heart, and she could feel the way her pulse ricocheted between her ears. It pounded like the heavy sound it was, making her slowly realize just what she was feeling, just what her mind and her heart were leaning towards.

When she finally picked up on it, warily realizing that… that maybe, there was something more behind that mask than meets the eye. That Chat Noir wasn’t just a suit and cat puns, more than just a flirt with her, but rather someone that’s trying to get her attention, trying to be the one that held her heart.

Well, she doesn’t know about that last part just yet, but all she knew, was that he had her full attention right now.

“The wall between us,” he said, never leaving her eyes. He finally had the nerve to grin and give her a sly look with his eyes. “That could be a song!”

Ladybug rolled her eyes, “Whatever, alley cat,” she said, walking away.

Chat gripped her hand harder and pulled her back, the happiness never leaving his eyes as he tried to catch her gaze again. “C’mon! My Lady, think about it, I can already hear the violins.”

“Here we go again,” Ladybug said, not bothering to take her hand out of his gentle grip. “Take a shot at it, Kitty Cat.”

He thought for a moment, before the light bulb literally went off in his head as he gained an idea. “Down the masks for one night, let’s break through this wall that separates us.”

She gave him a look, “Never knew you were a lyricist, Chat Noir.”

He grinned, “There’s a lot you don’t know about me, My Lady.”

She eyed him, getting the nervous, foreign feeling inside her chest once again, a feeling that maybe… just maybe, there was more behind her heart as well.

And maybe… she was okay with it.


	2. Stargazing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy :)

Chapter 2: Stargazing

Chat Noir was many things. He considered himself brave, since he put on a mask armed with not much more than a baton and charges straight into battle. He believed he was a least a little bit selfish, mostly because he wanted his lady all to himself, but really, who can blame him? He also knew he was very tough, or at least he said he was. All that he knew was that he was always the one willing to take a blow for the city and his partner, if it meant saving the people and place, he loves.

He learned something new today, and he doesn’t mind it much, except when it comes to extreme measures. Or rather, becomes extreme measures.

He was very protective of his lady.

“Ladybug!” he cried, “Behind you!”

Ladybug, her back turned from the threat several yards away from him, turned just in time to get wacked hard by the enlarged akuma. She flew in the other direction, smashing through the wall of a brick building with her own cry of pain before disappearing through the wall of dust in the large hole she just created.

Chat Noir, not worrying as the akuma screamed again, walking away and not bothering the hero he potentially killed. He ran forward and jumped through the dust wall, coughing heavily from the dust as it tried to enter his lungs. He covered his nose and mouth with the inside of his elbow, forcing his eyes open as he entered the room. It was a darkened lobby of some kind of doctor office, the pieces of the wall in large pieces on the floor. Large shattered pieces of glass were on the ground, crunching under his feet as he fought through the heavy air of the room.

He found her unconscious, one leg caught underneath a large piece of debris and the other three limbs sprawled out around her. Her long hair that was usually tied up in a ponytail has fallen out and sat in long strands like tentacles around her head. There was a bleeding cut on her forehead, right where her hairline started. It gaped and drew a thin line of blood down the side of her head, leaving a heavy stain of crimson red on her temple.

He rushed forward, coughing from the atmosphere but not hesitating as he grabbed the large piece of concrete. He grunted in frustration as the debris refused to budge for a few seconds, until finally he felt it shift and he didn’t stop lifting until it was completely off her. He shouted with effort as he shoved it to the side, the sound of it crashing booming around the room. He knelt down next to her unconscious form, immediately taking notice of how her chest rose and fell with a steady rhythm.

He breathed a sigh of relief, she was alive.

She suddenly groaned and he raised his eyes to her face, and almost collapsed when he saw her eyes fluttering open before finally settling on him.

“Chat…” she said, before entering into a coughing fit, the dust suffocating her as well.

He shushed her gently, “It’s alright, My Lady,” he said, keeping his voice from shaking. “You’re okay.”

She groaned again, reaching up to touch her head with her hand, but Chat caught it and took it between his own hands, rubbing her knuckles with his thumb.

“Don’t touch it,” he said gently, gripping her hand delicately. “I don’t want you to hurt yourself.”

She groaned again and looked up at him, her eyes filled with exhaustion. “Chat,” she said, her voice cracked and quiet. She launched into another coughing fit, her body spasming from the effort of getting the dust out of her lungs, trying desperately to get fresh air into her body.

Without answering her, he reached out and took her in his arms. cradling her under the small of her back and under her knees. He carried her through the slowly dissipating dust in the air and finally through the hole, more glass shattering under his boots as he walked back into the street.

He jumped on top of one of the buildings, stopping in front of a wall and knelt down so he could lean her against it for support.

Ladybug launched into a heavy coughing fit all of a sudden, her body spasming from the weight in her chest and the dust in her lungs. He held her arm gently as he encouraged her to let it out, to calm down and get the gunk and dust out of her lungs.

He brushed the bangs out of her eyes as she finally calmed down, the coughing ceasing to mere huffs and clearing her throat a few times.

“We need to find the akuma,” she said, her eyes closed as Chat pushed the bangs out of her face some more. “I need to get up.”

He stopped her from getting up, making her sit back down with easy effort considering how out of it she seemed.

“Stop,” he said, when she tried again, taking both of her hands and stopping her. “You’re no help to Paris if you’re hurt.”

“But the akuma—”

“My Lady,” he said gently, making her stop with the nickname. “Please, be still.”

She met his eyes with a look of hesitance, like she was trying to convince him that she needed to get up, that she needed to be out there. Paris was counting on her to protect them, and she wasn’t going to sit back and watch as Hawkmoth ruined even more lives.

But Chat, with his gentleness, was not budging. She was hurt and injured, and he wasn’t about to let her continue to hurt herself by putting her in more danger. He cared about her more than anything or anyone, which said a lot about him, and he wasn’t going to take it lightly.

Hell, he never took her lightly in the first place.

“Fine,” she said, her expression saying she wasn’t happy with it.

He breathed another sigh of relief and let her retract her hands back to her personal space, her eyes looking away from him. Something dropped in his chest by the action, but he reminded himself that she wasn’t his, and therefore, he wasn’t allowed to be hurt by her wanting her space. He’s allowed to search for her gaze, ask for her heart and beg for her attention, but he shouldn’t be disappointed when he found the exact opposite. He usually found the opposite in the end, after all, so why should this feel different?

It’s because it didn’t feel different, it just still ached in his chest.

“Chat?”

He jumped, looking up and finding a concerned look in her eyes as she studied him, looking like she’s been trying to see what’s bothering him this time.

He gave her a dumb look, “What?”

She knitted her eyebrows together, “I’ve called your name three times and you didn’t respond.” She leaned closer, and Chat stilled his breathing, wondering how on earth they got this close. “What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

He stared at her, dumbfounded. Yes, she’s asked if he was okay sometimes, like when he took a blow for her or if he was really having a bad day, but right here, right now, there was something in her eyes… something he couldn’t place.

He knew she didn’t much appreciate his flirting, or when he’d attempt to win over her heart with a rose or a cheesy compliment or a pickup line. He knew he had no right to invade her space, to close the short distance between them that seemed miles apart, to ask her for her heart when she continues to deny him. But… there was something, something that made him want to lean closer, see how’d she react if he just inched closer, or touched her cheek with his hand, carefully dragging his thumb across her bottom lip as he leaned in, their noses barely touching—

“Chat.”

The voice was barely above a whisper, but it didn’t sound resentful or uncomfortable. Rather it almost sounded like… like she wanted it to.

His heart pounded in his chest as he drew closer, his nose moving to the other side of hers as he slowly, carefully, placed his lips over hers, barely getting a taste of her. Lips continuing to graze, both of them stilled, trying to pull away but at the same time, trying to draw closer, wanting to taste the soft skin that made their words form. Wanting to know what the other’s tongue felt like dancing with their own, their heavy breathing becoming labored as they allowed themselves to fall deeper.

He wanted it so bad it hurt, he wanted to taste the girl he’s been chasing for so long who’s allowed him to be this close to her, allowing him to maybe… just maybe… make her succumb to the mutual feeling they both wanted desperately.

“My Lady,” he said, gently drawing out her name like a beautiful painting.

Her breathing stilled, her lips touching his, “Chat…”

Something exploded, making Chat jump away from her and look in the other direction, watching as flames and smoke billowed up from the building that was slowly collapsing.

He looked back over at Ladybug, who’s eyes were equally wide from both shock and surprise.

That’s when they got up and ran.

. . .

The akuma was hard and restless, but when Chat Noir tossed the Cataclysmic object to the ground, watching as the purple butterfly flew in the air and Ladybug using her special powers to restore Paris to it’s natural glory, he felt better.

Well, as better as you can feel when you’re about to kiss the love of your life before getting rudely interrupted.

All in all, it felt good to knock this akuma on its face a few times.

After taking care of the emotional man, having been rejected by the girl he really likes which Chat could totally relate to, they made sure authorities had him before jumping into the darkening sky. The stars weren’t out yet, the sky still slightly golden from the sun as it sunk behind the horizon slowly, making Chat feel like he should get his romance on, but at the same time, he wasn’t in the mood.

They landed somewhere between his house and the Eiffel Tower, the chilly air between them becoming more and more awkward as they stood, warily glancing at one another.

Chat could feel the hesitance coming off her, like a heavy sense of anxiety that she’s bottling up in order not to talk about it. He felt the same way, hating confrontation of a problem in any shape or form. It’s just the way he was born, always trying to avoid and run from his problems instead of actually facing them like a man should.

He doesn’t feel like a man, more like a scared little boy with a stupidly, ridiculously huge crush on his partner. Trying to use charm and flirting to win his way to her heart, mostly because he’s never had much experience in the love department himself, and he’s never seen it happen firsthand except in movies.

Which makes him a total romantic.

Which makes his situation absolutely _hopeless._

He cleared his throat awkwardly and looked down, reaching up and scratching the back of his neck like a confused cat about to walk into an unknown road, only to get run over by a car that read in big bold letters “Reality.”

This didn’t encourage him at all.

“Nice night.”

He wasn’t the one that spoke, looking up at Ladybug who stood there with her arms crossed at her chest, her body facing him, but her eyes were looking upwards.

He followed her gaze and also looked up, finding the clear, summer sky with a darkened background, but beautiful spotlights shone from above, shining down like an enhanced light bulb.

“That one looks like a man,” she said, pointing upwards and not looking at him. “Do you know which one that is, _Chaton_?”

Chat gave her a confused look before casting his gaze upwards again, looking up into the starry night sky. He looked for the constellations she was looking at, finding a man shaped set of stars that gleamed in the night. One arm above it’s supposed head and one stretched outwards and holding a bow in his hand.

“That’s Orion,” he said, staring up at the constellation. “He was a hunter for Artemis in the myths.”

She looked at him, “You know your constellations, _Chaton?_ ”

He stared at her for a second, before swallowing thickly and answering, “Yes.”

She nodded before looking up again, her eyes settling on no particular thing in the sky, perhaps just enjoying the spotlights it was giving off.

“What’s that one?” she asked, pointing up again.

He followed her gaze and noticed the oddly shaped line of stars.

“That’s Andromeda,” he said, stepping closer to her hesitantly. “She was originally a sacrifice for her hometown, so that this monster wouldn’t come and destroy it. But Perseus, the Greek hero, was the one that saved her.”

“Perseus,” she said, nodding. “What’s his story?”

Chat thought a moment, “He was the son of the Greek god Zeus and Danaë, the daughter of Acrisius of Argos. He was the one that killed Medusa, you know the woman that could turn men to stone, and he saved Andromeda.”

“What happened to them?” she asked, finally looking up at him. “Andromeda and Perseus?”

He locked eyes with her, “Well, Perseus saved her from being a sacrifice,” he explained, feeling like for once his home schooling paid off since she was so curious with what he was saying. “They later got married and had a lot of kids.” He dryly laughed, looking away from her gaze for a moment, “Lucky guy, he was able to get the girl and live to an old age.” He shook his head in wonder, “He’s one of the only heroes that lived long enough to see his children and live a life with the person he loved.”

She nodded, “Lucky guy.”

He nodded, “Yeah.”

Silence.

“My Lady?”

“Mm?” she said, looking back up at him.

He slumped his shoulders a little bit and looked down in shame. “Look, I’m sorry I was being too forward earlier, you don’t deserve to be invaded so suddenly, I was just—”

“Caught up in the moment?” she asked.

He looked up at her, surprised, “Y-Yeah.”

She nodded, pressing her lips together, “Me to.”

He stared at her, “Were you… did you…?”

She gave him a wary look, “Did I… what?”

He looked down, “Did you… want to?”

There was a long silence that stretched past the normal time, one in which he refused to look at her, because if he did, he might as well get on his knees and grab a rose while he’s at it. He would beg her to be his, beg her to stay with him and be by his side as more than just his partner or friend. But he also knew he would respect her rejection way more than his own feelings, putting hers above his, no matter how he felt about her.

Which hurt. And it hurt almost too much for him to take.

She finally sighed and he looked up as she did, finding her eyes soft and avoiding his, a slight blush on her cheeks that made his heart perk up, hoping.

“I admit,” she said, not looking at him. “That maybe, there might’ve been a moment between us, but that moment was spurred because of our emotions of battle,” she said, shrugging. “I was hurt and scared, you were vulnerable and worried, it was a whole mess.” She met his eyes finally and he couldn’t help but notice the way her eyes kind of dropped at the next line she said. “But I think we both needed reassurance in the end, and we just so happen to be there.”

He was still for a moment, the words weighing in like a heavy anchor sinking to the bottom of the sea, leaving him feeling heavy and empty.

He knew that what he felt was not spurred by the battle.

He wanted her, and almost needed her.

And it _hurt._

“Can we just…” he said suddenly, catching her attention and gesturing at nothing. “Sit here?”

She gave him a nervous look, “Chat…”

“Not for long,” he rushed, trying to avoid drawing her away any further. “Just for a little bit. I just…” he closed his eyes and bowed his head, feeling like a crying out child who needed someone to hold him. “I just need someone right now.”

She stared at him, a look of trepidation crossing her eyes as she looked off in the distance in thought. He doubted she would stay with him, even if he begged, but he also hoped she wasn’t busy tonight, or that she was soft at heart today and was willing to tolerate him just for a little bit longer.

“Okay,” she said, stepping towards the edge and sitting there, her feet dangling over the edge. She patted the seat next to her, giving him an inviting look as he carefully approached her, sitting shoulder to shoulder with her.

For a long time, they just talked about everything and anything, of course they kept secret identities and clues on the downlow, not mentioning anything that could give them away, but talking about general stuff.

Chat felt a strange feeling of home settle in his chest, a warm feeling like drinking hot chocolate on the couch while it snowed outside kind of feeling. Or the times he would snuggle up with his mother on emotional nights and let her sing to him.

He hasn’t felt this safe in a long time, and to be honest, he could spend the rest of eternity here.

And as Ladybug turned her attention from him to the night sky, a light smile on her face as the moonlight lit up her face like a glowing light. The sight couldn’t stop him from smiling even if he tried, noticing for about the millionth time just how beautiful she is.

And man, he would never get tired of that sight.

“The stars are beautiful tonight,” she said, not looking at him.

He couldn’t take his eyes off her for a long moment, staring at her glowing form, her legs swinging back and forth, occasionally bonking him and making him feel lightheaded whenever she would touch him. It was a magical moment he experienced, and he could feel the warm feeling spreading throughout his chest and all the way down to his toes.

He turned back to the stars, and thanked the heavens for them, and the girl sitting next to him, who was more beautiful and astonishing than any other constellation.

“Yeah,” he said, nodding. “They are.”

And so, he plunged even deeper, not caring if he found the other end or not.

Only hoping, she would find him there, too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, I'm trying to catch up with the days, but i'm also trying to not stress about it, lol.


	3. In Denial

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ladybug is in denial, but she still cares about Chat Noir a lot. 
> 
> She's just scared of how much she really does care about him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I CHANGED IT!!!
> 
> All Chapters are linked together, just so I have a plot to work with here.

Chapter 3: In Denial

Ladybug loved to lie to herself. It made everything uncomplicated and easier to keep track of. Easier because she wasn’t facing the truth, not making it real and avoiding it like it was a jellyfish on a beach. Focusing all on the strange, jelly like creature and not on the beautiful scenery around her, possibilities making almost anything… well, possible.

Denying everything that happened was easier then facing the truth, and that’s what she told herself. She was too afraid of what it could mean if she admitted how she really feels about Chat Noir.

Which is nothing more than a heartfelt friendship! Both Ladybug and Marinette had enough problems as it is, thank you very much. Everything was easy before Chat Noir decided to invade her space for a few moments and suddenly he was about to kiss her.

And she was about to let him.

Ladybug squeezed her eyes shut, finally getting up from her spot at the edge of a tall skyscraper and pressed her index fingers to her temples. She paced the length of the roof, talking and mumbling to herself how she definitely was NOT wanting to kiss Chat Noir in the moment. It was just a moment, nothing more than that, there couldn’t be something between them, there couldn’t be! They were superheroes for crying out loud, with all these akumas running around and Hawkmoth still at large, there’s no way she could focus on dating Chat Noir.

She stopped in her tracks, _why am I even thinking of dating Chat Noir?_

She shook her head a few times, her thoughts turning from denial to full on arguing with herself.

Which was frustrating, because now she can think of nothing more than exactly what she was trying not to think about.

Oh, how the human brain works.

Ladybug stopped pacing and dragged her fingers down her contorting face, letting out a frustrated huff of air through her nose. Just when everything started becoming smooth again, getting a hold of the Miracle Box, finally the end of her second year of high school, starting off summer with a lot of enthusiasm. She was convinced that this was going to be her three months of peace, but now, she’s getting hit by this bomb.

Which wasn’t a bomb! Because there is nothing exploding! Nothing is changing!

Not her heart skipping a beat when she thinks about his sparkling eyes. Not the nervous yet excited thrill she gets when she remembers they have joined patrol tonight, and he would be showing up soon. Or how her stomach twisted and turned to nervous jolts of electricity when she thought of his lips carefully grazing hers, too scared to move closer.

Too scared to make it real.

Ladybug groaned and crossed her arms at her chest, forcing the complicated thoughts in the back of her head and looking to the slowly sinking sun.

She sighed, it’s been a full day since hers and Chat Noir’s little “incident,” and to be honest she did not want to get into that awkward situation again.

Just so she could keep denying it.

She groaned again, yelling at herself, “There’s nothing to deny!”

“Ladybug?”

She jumped and nearly lost her balance, almost falling over the side of the building like the klutz under the mask she is.

She turned to see him, Chat Noir, standing there like an illuminated ghost in the sunlight, the golden rays hitting his very handsome face at the perfect angle.

She felt her cheeks redden; she couldn’t even deny that much.

“You okay?” he asked, stepping forward once and looking at her in concern. “Did I startle you?”

She placed a hand over her pounding heart and closed her eyes, composing herself. With her jump-started nerves, she felt a little more lightheaded, maybe more nervous, like she could cripple to the ground because of her shaky legs.

Or maybe that was just his presence.

His sweet, calming yet electrifying presence that refused to let her feel settled or comfortable.

It was a good feeling, despite its strangeness.

When she looked at him again, his eyes were studying her with concern, his cat like eyes skimming over her body slowly, as if searching for any sign of injury. Since she hasn’t been in any sort of physical danger in the last twenty-four hours, she found it odd that he was searching for any, if that was what he was looking for.

“I’m fine,” she finally answered him, dropping her arm to her side. “I wasn’t paying attention, that’s all.”

He closed his mouth and nodded, accepting the lie that had rolled off her tongue as easily as her thoughts did, telling her that she was not reacting to his presence. That she was a completely, civil, self-controlled and relaxed superheroine that absolutely does not like the way his eyes casually drifted over her—

 _Stop it._ She told herself, gritting her teeth. _Stop it right now!_

“You wanna start patrol?” she asked him, gesturing towards the darkening city.

He glanced at the city before returning his gaze back to her, still studying her in concern before nodding. “Let’s go,” he said, reaching for his baton.

Ladybug would be lying, which wouldn’t be surprising since she’s been doing it to herself for hours, if she hadn’t noticed the awkwardness. The stillness of the air between them even as they zipped through the neighborhoods, flying over rooftops and swinging through the streets awkward and empty.

Awkward because whenever she seemed buried deep in thought, he would randomly pipe into her thoughts and point in another direction, asking to go down a particular street for no apparent reason. She obliged, only because she couldn’t find a reason to say no, or a reason to care about it. Maybe it was so she could get him to not argue with her about it.

Because she knew his voice was soothing to her, even in the most awkward situations and the most intense of moments.

That was as much as she was willing to admit.

Finally, after a long, empty and very uneventful patrol, Ladybug and Chat Noir landed on top of the same building they were on earlier, putting their weapons away. Her back was too him, facing away so she doesn’t have to face that really adorable pout of his he uses when he’s upset, having seen it before and if she thought it was adorable then, she can only imagine what she’ll think now.

Again, the stillness of the air, was deafening.

“Ladybug?”

She tried to ignore the way how he spoke her name gently, being careful as to not spook her again. But she almost wished he hadn’t been so careful with her name, because now she was blushing from her name being on his lips. He’s said her name tons of times! Why was it just affecting her now? And why on earth did she want him to say it again?

“Yeah?” she said, her heart pounding between her ears.

There was a long draw of breath, before he finally breathed out. “I’m sorry.”

This made her turn to him curiously, finding him staring at the ground next to her with a saddened expression and slumped shoulders.

“Sorry for what?” she asked, eyeing him warily.

He shrugged, “I uh…” he blushed, looking away shyly as he thought through his words. Ladybug, on the other hand, finding his blush absolutely adorable and mentally panicking from his pouty eyes and reddened cheeks. “I’m sorry about yesterday, you know when we…” he gestured at the air with his hands, his blush intensifying.

She made an “o” with her mouth, nodding slowly and averting her gaze from him. “It—It’s fine, Chat, really.” She shrugged and found the courage to look up at him, finding his eyes eternally distracting. She shook her head and continued, “Besides, it was all—you know—the battlefield vibes and all.”

He tilted his head then, “Battlefield vibes?”

She nodded, “You know,” she said, gesturing at the air. “When we’re in the midst of battle our emotions get all jumbled up and we’re confused and excited and we think something is how it is when it’s not—” she stopped, catching her breath and meeting his eyes again, somehow finding the will power to force the next words out of her mouth. “I think we were, you know, just caught up in the moment of battle and we were scared.”

He furrowed his eyebrows at her, growing confused, “Caught up in the moment?”

She hesitated before nodding slowly. “Yeah,” she said, fiddling with her fingers. “We… we felt scared and alone with everything going on around us all at once.” She shrugged with on shoulder and met his glittering, perfect green eyes again. “We needed someone at the moment and you and I were the only ones there.”

He stared at her for a long moment before looking down, his fingers twitching by his sides. He stared at an empty spot on the ground, his eyes hollow and confused.

“W-was it?” he asked, looking back up at her.

She furrowed her eyebrows at him, “That’s what I just said, didn’t I?”

“Yeah—no, I-I heard you,” he said, waving at the air. “It’s just… it was all because of battle and emotions and such?”

She nodded, “Yeah,” she said, tilting her head curiously at him. “You okay? You look upset.”

He shook his head and looked down again, his face showing anguish. “It’s just… good to know, I guess.”

“Good to know?” she asked, confused. “What do you mean?”

He sighed and raised his head to meet her eyes. He had a far away look in them as he studied her, his eyes drifting off her face to the ground than back up at her. It was giving her whiplash to watch, mostly because his eyes were very distracting, how green and intense they looked in the sunset rays. How saddened they looked, his eyes squinting in longing.

She hoped her face didn’t show as much as well.

“I just…” he trailed off, gesturing tiredly at the air around him. He looked away, as if her figure in front of him was too much to look at in this delicate moment. “I just disagree.”

She raised an eyebrow, “You disagree?” she studied him, “On what?”

He shrugged, “I don’t know, just that it was… maybe more than a moment.” He sighed, finally looking up and meeting her eyes with a hesitance. “I mean, it could’ve only been a moment to you, but to me…” he stopped, unable to finish the sentence.

Ladybug finally caught on and her eyes widened, making her look down while her cheeks reddened. She felt guilty, which was stupid, even for her. It wasn’t her fault for rejecting the idea of kissing him, for voluntarily letting him be that close to her, for _liking_ the way his lips grazed hers so delicately.

She did feel guilty for hurting him every time she rejected him, but only because she was the one causing him pain. She cared for him, even with his lame cat jokes, his feline puns and his terrible flirting. Chat Noir was important to her, she wouldn’t be Ladybug if it wasn’t for him.

In a way, she really did love him.

“I’m sorry,” she said, lacing her hands in front of her.

Chat looked up at her, “Sorry for what?”

She met his eyes through her eyelashes, “For… for making you think that… that I…”

His eyes grew impossibly sadder, “Ladybug, it’s not your fault.” He gestured at himself, daring to take a step closer to her, “I shouldn’t have done that, it was stupid and inappropriate of me. I promise that for now on I’ll respect your boundaries,” he said, giving her a sincere look. “You don’t feel the same way about me that I do about you, and I shouldn’t blame you for how you feel or for telling the truth… I should be the one that’s sorry.”

“No!” she said, stepping forward and raising her hands. “I shouldn’t have led you on like that. That was mean and selfish of me, and I’m sorry.” She gave him a shy look, dropping her arms limply at her sides. “I care about you Chat, more than you think or believe,” she shifted her weight, like the awkward girl under the mask. “Just… not like that.”

… _right?_

He gave her a long, hard look, his eyes slowly turning from sad and upset to hardened and emotionless, like they usually did when she rejected him.

Her heart lurched in her chest, like she was the one that was being rejected instead of him. But she didn’t say anything.

“I know,” he said, his voice low. He nodded slowly at her in understanding before looking down, laughing dryly to himself. “Guess there’s yet another wall between us, Ladybug.”

Something felt off about that sentence, like it was missing something, like one word was not what it’s supposed to be.

Or maybe it was the way her hurt heart by there being yet another wall between them, despite the masks.

It was her denial, and his never-ending grace and love for her.

Huh, guess they really did hit a wall.

She didn’t say anything back to him, the silence of her voice speaking volumes that only added to the superheroes’ pain. Everything about this moment felt wrong, like there shouldn’t be this giant, annoying and impenetrable wall between them, that it should be filled with something. Something that made her feel good, something that brought that smile back to his face that she loved so much, something that brought them closer together rather than farther apart. This… this is not how Chat Noir and Ladybug should be.

And yet… she still denies it, even though it hurts both of them.

“Tomorrow’s our anniversary,” Chat said through the silence, making her look up at him.

Honestly, with all the recent akuma attacks, the thought had slipped her mind, and she was now just remembering.

“Oh, right,” she said, her voice monotone. She cleared her throat and looked at his demeaning figure. “Is Mayor Bourgeois still hosting that party for us?”

“Yeah,” he nodded. “They even have outfits and masks, so we don’t have to come in our suits.”

“Right,” she said, nodding and looking down.

Another long silence between them made Ladybug’s heart lurch painfully in her chest. She couldn’t deny that what she was feeling was longing, but she couldn’t tell if it was so that things could go back to how they were, or for _him._

She pushed it from her mind and met his eyes, hating the way they held so many emotions behind them. She wished she could take away the pain he was feeling, but the only thing she could do that is to actually admit to something that wasn’t true. That she knew wasn’t true, that would only hurt him more if she was lying and leading him on.

She didn’t want to lie to him, she would _hate_ to lie to him.

_But is it really a lie?_

She pushed the thought from her head and went back to sulking, despite the scary, yet exciting feeling she got in her chest that meant absolutely nothing.

She refused to think that it was because… that she could possibly… that anything like that… was… true?

The thought was even scarier when she looked up at him, finding herself paralyzed and confused. His eyes glinted despite the pain, and he smiled warmly at her, giving her a confused feeling in her chest that made her tilt her head at him, beyond perplexed.

She hated the way he was looking at her, with so much love and warmth in his eyes that made her cheeks redden. She hated the way how he took a few hesitant steps towards her, until he was crowding her space and giving her déjà vu from the familiar stance. She hated the way her heart skipped a beat and decided to do a little tap dance in her chest like the stage was her very being.

She hated how he seemed to tear every part of her denial and previous feelings for him in front of her, with only a gentle, caring and loving look.

Chat Noir really was something else entirely, when it came to this world.

“Don’t feel bad, Ladybug,” he said, his tone warm. “I meant it when I said your friendship means everything to me. You’re the best person, friend and partner I have, and I’m lucky enough that I get to spend every day with you making the world a better place. You’re strong, fierce and independent, Lady Luck and the savior of Paris. It’s an honor working with you.”

She stared up at him, finding herself stuck and rooted to her spot, like everything around her had stilled. Like every eye and star had turned its way towards them, shining spotlights on this moment that she so desperately wanted to keep for themselves. She wanted this moment to be theirs, and no one else’s.

“You’ve got it wrong,” she said, swallowing thickly. “The savior of Paris part.”

He raised an eyebrow, “Oh?” he said, a hint of teasing in his voice. “What is it then? Savior of the world?”

She shook her head, never leaving his gaze. “No,” she said, leaning in slightly, making his eyes widen. “ _Saviors_ of the World, Chat.” She took his hand and squeezed it, finally catching sight of the adorable pinkness of his cheeks because of their closeness. “Who’s Ladybug without her Chat Noir? I don’t care what you or anyone else thinks, I _need_ you, Chat, and even despite our… differing feelings, that doesn’t mean I don’t care for you.” She held his gaze, which made her own cheeks slowly start gaining some heat, but she wouldn’t look away. “You’re my friend to, Chat Noir,” she said, smiling at him. “And it’s an honor working with you to.”

He could only stare at her, dumbfounded and astonished. His eyes studied her widely with an intensity she has never seen before. His hand was limp in hers, but soon the muscles in his hand twitched and he finally held onto her tightly, as if he would let go, she would leave forever.

She wouldn’t, not from him.

That, she can’t deny.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm trying to catch up with the days, hopefully I'll be able to! Just with my twelve to fourteen hour shifts at my job, it makes it hard to write and post. But I love doing this so much! I have a one week break that i'm going to take advantage of, and hopefully get caught up on the days enough haha.
> 
> Also, I really like the "Finding You" title, for those of you who have read "Falling" get ready for some of those vibes (just less intense and more fluff. You're welcome.)
> 
> "Afterglow" is still going strong! And things are starting to brighten up soon! It's called "Afterglow" for a reason! 
> 
> Hope you guys enjoyed, and thanks for reading! 
> 
> ~being_happy


	4. Disguises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She has to admit, he looks good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! Chapter 4 for ya'll!!

Chapter 4: Disguises

Being in denial was on thing, being confronted and harassed by the truth was another. Some things were just too hard to deny, like how the earth was round or how the stars were big balls of gas lighting up the sky. Some things were so undeniably true, that it literally hurts to deny them.

Like, for example, the way Chat Noir looked in his mask and tuxedo at the moment.

She can deny her feelings for him all she wants, but _this_?

He wore a dark buttoned up shirt that glistened on the lightened sidewalk, the sky above them darkening from the evening hours. His black slacks looked expensive on his long, very toned legs and pulled tight around his bulging leg muscles, making her brain go haywire. He wore a black dress jacket that was buttoned in the front with one, large single black button, pulling tight around his middle. His black shoes shone from the streetlamps as he approached her, a golden necktie that was tucked underneath his jacket in the front, representing his little bell. His wayward hair fell shaggily, as per usual, over his eyes in golden locks that glistened underneath the stars.

His mask was a completely different story, however. It was black, as expected, but the black shimmering diamonds that lined the outside of his mask, clustering in a corner of where the mask ended and thinned as the diamonds approached the outside of his eyes. The designers must’ve found it funny, because they also sprinkled red dust that was barely visible to the naked eye. But she noticed it, nonetheless.

“My Lady,” he said, looking her up and down carefully. His eyes landed on hers and they held true astonishment. “You look…” he shook his head, taking another long, careful and respectful look that could only say how amazed he was. “Beautiful.”

Having been completely distracted by the way Chat Noir had presented himself to her, she had completely forgotten what she was wearing.

The dress was long and silky, a slit going from mid-thigh all the way down to her feet that completely exposed her right leg. There was a black strap on her exposed thigh, giving off a very seductive vibe, but really, it was mainly there to that the delicate fabric didn’t expose her too much. From the bottom of the dress, a dark shade of shimmering black rose with the dress, fading into a soft red at around her hips before darkening and becoming a bold shade of red that went all the way up to her sweet heart dress line with no straps. Her back was almost completely exposed, her lower back cinched with delicate string to hold the dress around her, but also exposing the skin behind it since the strings didn’t give much coverage.

Her long hair was held up in a bun, made of small braids and curled hair at the back of her head, showing off beautiful dangling earrings that shone in the night. Her bangs and small strands of hair fell down her face in a delicate manner, framing the red and black mask she wore over her eyes, almost exactly the same to his, but the colors are switched. A red mask with red diamonds, and black dust, a lot more visible, sprinkled around the surface. Her shoes were pure, shiny black that made her a couple inches taller, almost matching the height of Chat Noir.

As a designer herself, she felt truly honored to wear this amazing outfit.

“Thank you,” she said, finally able to respond to his compliment. She crossed her arms at her chest from the chilly night air of Paris and glanced behind her, looking in the direction they should be walking.

She could hear crowds of people talking eagerly, obviously awaiting their arrival with excitement. From what Ladybug could tell, they were just around the block, leading to the Louvre, where the event is taking place. 

Chat Noir and she decided to meet a couple blocks away from the event as to keep their arrival low profile, just so no one knew where they were coming from. The streets behind the Louvre, where they met up, were pretty quiet at night, since no one really lived there, and it was mostly used for small stores along the sidewalk for onlookers.

They had met with the fashion designers earlier that day, where they gave both her and Chat Noir the bags with their outfits inside them, along with a box for each of them with heir shoes inside. Having heard this a thousand times, the model under the mask knew exactly how to put on the delicate clothing, and the aspiring designer under the mask knew enough in her field to feel confident about handling the dress and makeup part.

And well, they were both pretty proud, and lucky, that they didn’t mess anything up.

That would be hard to explain.

“You clean up nice, Kitty,” she complimented, smiling warmly at him.

His face broke into a grin, it was rare he received compliments about his looks from her, and he savored every single one he could latch onto.

“Thank you, My Lady, and might I say,” he said, making a point to step back and check her out, which made her start blushing and laughing at the same time. “You look absolutely stunning in this moonlight,” he said, sincerity behind his eyes.

She smiled at him, deciding to take the compliment and not rebuke him for his flirting. Or give him an ego boost if she let it slip that his attempts at flirting was actually working.

“Thank you, Kitty,” she said, taking her dress in hand and curtsying a little. When she met his eyes again, she smiled sweetly, “Should we go? The crowd is getting restless.”

He grinned and stepped next to her, offering his arm. “It would be rather rude of me to not walk you.”

She giggled (actually _giggled)_ and took his arm, letting her hand gently take hold of his bicep as they started walking down the dimly light streets of Paris.

“Who are you and what have you done with my Kitty?” she asked, turning to him with teasing in her eyes. “Never knew you could be such a gentleman, Chat Noir.”

“Guess I should dial down the flirting and turn up the gentlemanliness then,” he said, winking at her. “Wearing more tuxedos is also up there, as well.”

“Oh?” she said, giving him an amused look. “And how exactly are you going to take down villains while you’re wearing a blazer?”

He shrugged, “With my feline charm, that’s how.”

“I don’t see how that could work.”

“Meouch,” he said, smirking. “Such little faith.”

“In you? No,” she said, half laughing. “You in a blazer? Preferably not.”

“Ha! It seemed to render you speechless for a good sixty seconds if I do recall,” he said, looking down at her with a smug look on his face. “I knew I could make you do that for once.”

“I don’t remember a single time you became speechless,” she said, rolling her eyes. “All I remember is blah, blah, blah, flirting, blah and more flirting.”

“Well,” he said, “Guess you’ll have to up your game.”

She smirked, “I forgot who was trying to impress who, here.”

“Fine, fine, I can make you do it again, though.”

She snorted, “You can certainly try, alley cat.”

“Oh, I most definitely will, My Lady,” he said, pulling from her grasp and turning to her, stepping in front and walking backwards with a smirk on his face. “I dare you to dance with me tonight.”

She chuckled, “Really?”

He nodded, “My awesome dance moves are going to make you feel like you’re floating on a little cloud.”

She grinned, finding the words familiar. “Challenge accepted then.”

They turned a corner and caught sight of the Louvre courtyard, tens maybe about a hundred plus people stood there, all holding cameras that flashed as many famous people waved at the crowd. There was a red carpet that led to the entrance, that only was a hundred feet from them.

“Oh,” Ladybug said, her stomach dropping. “That’s… that’s a lot of people.”

She felt Chat’s gaze settle on her with concern, “You okay?”

She inhaled slowly and nodded, “Yeah, just…” she shook her head and looked down.

Chat gently took her arm and pulled her back around the corner, fixing her with a concerned look while holding her elbows in his hands. “What’s wrong?” he asked, his voice gentle.

She shook her head at him and looked away, “You’ll think it’s silly.”

“My Lady, c’mon,” he said, his voice almost teasing which made her look back up at him. His smile was sweet, and his eyes were gentle, making her relax her tense shoulders. “When have I ever made fun of you?”

She breathed deeply and looked away shyly, finding his eyes distracting yet endearing. She’s always thought of Chat Noir as a gentle person, especially around her, but she guessed she never let that sink in until this moment. He seemed so fierce and solid in battle, always ready to take a bullet or hit for her, stepping in front and taking it all for her, which she hated, but that was besides the point.

She loved his gentle side, especially when it was directed towards her or akuma victims. While she went and talked to the press about the recent attacks, Chat would head over and talk with the victims, akumatised or not. He would comfort them and give them reassurance that they were okay, that they did nothing wrong and that nothing is their fault. Chat Noir had such a gentle spirit that was so just _him_ , that she’s surprised she hasn’t noticed it until now.

She loved it when he was gentle with her, especially when she is having one of her doubting moments. When she truly believes that she is a failure, that she is too much of a klutz to save this city. She can’t count how many times she’s had to force that back down and face the threat head on, or how many times she went home crying because she was so scared of failing.

Chat Noir always had so much grace for her, giving her a helping hand and even lifting some of the weight off her shoulders. She can’t imagine doing this with anyone else, the very thought terrifying. She never felt ashamed when she was around him, only encouraged and safe, a homey feeling settling in her chest she hasn’t felt since before all these akumas started showing up.

Maybe that’s why she met his eyes and found herself liking how he waited patiently for her answer, not pushing her and not pressuring her. Maybe that’s one of the reasons why she likes him so much ( _AS A FRIEND!!_ ), he never made her feel insecure, in fact, he made her feel stronger, and safe.

Which was making her face match her super suit. Which she very much did not appreciate.

“I’m just nervous about all those people,” she said, looking back at the direction of the Louvre. “I mean, we don’t have any magical powers to save us now, we left our kwamis at home, and someone could easily come and rip these masks off—”

“I’m not going to let anyone touch you,” Chat said, interrupting her. “Besides, you’re Ladybug, you’re as intimidating as it is already, I doubt anybody will want to mess with you.”

“I’m _tiny,_ Chat,” she said, looking up at him. “I can be easily overpowered, and if someone were to come up from behind and surprise me—” 

“Woah, woah,” he said, taking hold of her tense shoulders and meeting her eyes. “You’re over thinking this, Ladybug. Breath.”

She followed his command and took a deep breath, his hands never leaving her shoulders which was both comforting and distracting.

“That’s not going to happen, My Lady,” he said gently. “Just stick with me and nobody will touch you.”

She snorted despite her anxiety, “You’re, what, eighteen?”

“Yeah,” he said, smiling widely at her. “And I happen to take fencing lessons. I’m pretty sure I know how to overpower somebody.”

Ladybug stilled. _Fencing lessons?_

“Whatever, cat boy,” she said, turning from him and pushing the familiar comparison from her mind. “You’re still my date, so I guess I’m stuck with you for the rest of the night.”

He paused, his face faltering, “Your… date?”

She turned back to him, a sly grin on her face, “That’s what I said, correct?”

His face slowly brightened, “Whatever you say, My Lady.”

. . .

The walk on the red carpet was easier than expected, especially since Ladybug was able to hold onto Chat’s arm the entire time, waving confidently at the crowd with him next to her. Several photographers demanded her attention, and she started stressing about halfway down the carpet with looking in every direction.

“Don’t look at everyone,” Chat whispered, still waving at the crowd while walking slowly with her down the flashing carpet. “You’re not going to be able to satisfy everyone with your smile, so just smile and keep walking.”

She turned to him with a curious look in her eyes laced with teasing, “Have you been in the limelight before, Kitty?”

The question was meant to be rhetorical, since Ladybug and Chat Noir aren’t really known for their public sightings and greetings, mostly just around so that they could save Paris three to four times a week. It wasn’t normal for them to attend events such as meet and greets, or this giant anniversary party for example, they were mostly peer pressured into going by the mayor himself.

What she hadn’t expected was for her masked partner to shy away from the question, giving her a wary look before turning back to the crowd and smiling at the cameras.

Obviously, by answering that question it would reveal part of his identity.

Ladybug pushed it out of her mind, reminding herself that it was part of their partnership. In order to protect each other, the people they love and themselves, they must keep their identities a secret. She tried to ignore the painful ache she felt at the reminder, even though she’s reminded herself countless times.

She hated keeping things from him, even this.

After a tortuously long seven-minute walk down the carpet, waving and smiling at all the blinding lights that took photos of them, they finally made it through the doors. There was soft music playing in the distance, a piano, violins, ballroom music she immediately recognized. The front of the Louvre was empty, which gave her some relief as they stepped through the doors.

Ladybug sighed as the doors shut closed behind them, letting go of Chat’s arm and giving herself some space by walking a few steps from him.

“You okay?” he called after her.

She nodded, closing her eyes, “Yeah, fine, it’s just… a lot.” She shrugged, laughing dryly, “I just don’t think I’m used to all the attention, that’s all.” She shivered, wrapping her arms around herself, “I can take down villains every other day, but I can’t handle a few flashing lights.”

“It’s not something you can easily adjust to, My Lady,” Chat said gently. “Fame, even as superheroes, is hard.”

“We aren’t stars or famous celebrities,” she said, sighing to herself in exasperation. “It shouldn’t feel the same.”

“It does,” he said, “All the pressure from your fans, in this case the citizens, that you need to be perfect to succeed is terrifying.” He paused and she could feel his eyes studying her carefully, like one wrong move and everything can come crashing down. “Everyone’s expecting you to be this perfect little goody two shoes when really… you’re a flawed human underneath. And you can only take so much before you break.”

He sounded like he was speaking from experience.

She fisted her hands, “Not helping, Chat.”

There was a pause where he said nothing, until she felt his hand slide into hers. She looked down at their joined hands and then raised her gaze at him, her eyes wide and staring at his gentle ones.

“We’ve got a long night ahead of us,” he said, smiling at her. “But I promise I’ll be right here the entire time.”

She smiled and softened at his touch, squeezing his hand affectionately, “I know, Kitty,” she said, before looking away shyly again. “Sorry, it’s just, despite all the stuff I face on the battlefield, it’s kind of pathetic to know I’m a little shy around people.”

“You’re not pathetic,” he said, stepping in front of her. “Actually, I think your shyness is kinda cute.”

She scoffed, “Well, of course you would say that, you flirt,” she said, pushing his shoulder playfully, but not hard enough to push him away.

She found herself reveling in his _you’re not pathetic_ statement, hoping he meant it. She was always so confident and on it all the time that showing just a tiny bit of weakness made her feel like a coward. She didn’t want Chat Noir, her dear partner and friend that she cherished a lot more than she knew she did before, to think that she was anything less than what he believed her to be. Or else, he would leave her and make her confront the terrible pit of loneliness that had already settled there in her chest when he wasn’t around.

But, like we know our stubborn Ladybug, she was still in denial of that.

She didn’t deny that she was scared of losing him.

She only denied how much she actually _needed_ him.

And… admitting it… that was scary.

“I’m offended,” he said, continuing their conversation a second later after she called him a flirt. “I thought I was being very gentlemanly tonight.”

“You certainly were,” she said, giving him a smirk. “But now, I think you’ve went back to your old flirting habits.”

“Aw, c’mon!” he cried, feigning frustration, making her giggle at him. “Fine, fine, I’ll return to the gentleman you know I am.”

She patted his chest before taking his hand again, “You are a gentleman, Chat Noir,” she said, tugging him towards the sound of music that played in the distance. “Show me more of that cool cat tonight, alright?”

He smiled before falling into pace with her again, linking their arms together giddily. “Of course, My Lady,” he said, giving her a sweet look. “Anything for you.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed! Slowly making my way down the list and I am SO EXCITED MAN


	5. Banter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little bantering, a little teasing, some annoying men, oh and Ladybug gets cornered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Light Sexual Harassment in this chapter

Chapter 5: Banter

Chat was surprised with how easy going the party was, even with their presence there and all. He thought they were going to be dodging paparazzi (nothing new) all night, but really, it was nothing like that. Everyone must’ve been famous and knew not to freak out about the superhero’s presence, or simply were mature enough to not freak out even if they were fangirling on the inside.

What wasn’t surprising was how all eyes turned on them once they did enter the room, the girls around his age and… older staring him down like he was a piece of meat. What really made him uncomfortable was when the elderly piano player gave him “the eye” as he approached her with interest of the piece she was playing. Let’s just say he exited that conversation as quickly as he could.

His partner looked good, _really_ good. With her strapless dress showing off all her beautiful curves and her elegance as she walked and greeted with many people, gracing them with her radiant smile. It was truly amazing to watch as the shy girl who had just expressed to him how nervous she was about attending this party blossom into the confident girl he knew she was.

She almost looked to good, which made Chat hyper aware of their surroundings. He knew Ladybug was slightly younger than him, probably just seventeen, which made him even more protective of her. He knew she could take care of herself just fine, but not having their kwamis on them made him nervous. Her expressing she knew nothing about defending herself outside of the mask made him continue to look around for anything suspicious.

And find he did.

He caught at least ten males a lot older than himself looking at Ladybug with lust in their eyes that spoke unspeakable things, and it made him wish he had his Cataclysm power on him. When they did catch Chat staring heatedly at them, he would sneer and glare darkly at them, nearly scaring them shitless and sending them walking in the other direction.

He was terrified he wasn’t going to be able to spot one and Ladybug would have to pay the price for him not being aware. He would never forgive himself if something like that happened to her.

Which is why he mostly stayed glued to her, despite her protests. At least keeping her in the line of sight when she wanted to go talk with someone without him, which he respected, but he still kept his eyes on her. He even stood outside the bathroom as she took care of her business, daring any male to approach the single stall bathroom that could completely corner her with no way out.

She opened the door and her eyes immediately fell on him, giving him an incredulous look. “Really, Chat?” she asked, humor in her eyes. “I know I said I’m nervous but I’m fine, really.”

He nodded, “I know,” he said, straightening from the wall and walking with her down the hallway to the ballroom again. “I just didn’t want to be left alone down there without you.”

She eyed him, “And yet you thought it best to stand alone in an empty hallway?”

He smiled, hiding his intentions. “You can feel lonely in the most crowded of places,” he said, gesturing down the stairs that lead to the ballroom below. “Have you seen those vultures trying to follow me everywhere? It’s revolting.”

“You mean your fangirls?” she asked, giving him an amused look. “I thought you liked that one girl… Celeste was her name?”

He rolled his eyes, “Sure, she was nice and all, but no one compares to you, My Lady.” He gave her a cute look, his flirtations written all over his stupid grin.

She rolled her eyes at him this time, “I bet, alley cat.”

They walked down the stairs again and approached the ballroom, his eyes trailing on her hands and up her arms, studying the soft skin that was exposed. He’s never seen her skin before, other than the skin on her face, and that was beautiful, but it was strangely serene to see her beautiful, bare and exposed skin like this. Where it should be normal to show off this amount of skin in a fancy party like this, while for them, they’ve never seen more than the skin of their necks and faces.

He’s held her hand several times tonight, touched the bare skin of her palms, her arms, and hopefully when he dances with her tonight, he’ll be able to feel the soft skin of her back against his fingertips. Maybe she’ll even respond to his touch and shiver against him. He could only hope to pull that kind of reaction out of her, even if it was nearly impossible.

The poor cat was so distracted by his own thoughts, mainly filled with her, that he walked right into the edge of the door that entered into the ballroom. He stumbled back as the pain and flashes of red attacked him all at once, holding his nose and cursing as the pain flared up on the inside of his nose.

“Oh my God, Chat, are you okay?” Ladybug’s voice pierced through the pain, the pressure of her hand landing on his shoulder.

“Yup,” he said, still squeezing his eyes shut. “Yeah, I’m good.”

Ladybug’s hand drifted to his back and rubbed it soothingly, “Anything broken up there?”

He shook his head, before leaning against the very door that had assaulted him. “No, I think I’m good.”

“Well,” Ladybug said, pausing. “In that case.”

She suddenly burst out laughing and he reeled back in surprise, opening his eyes wide and staring down at the laughing girl next to him. She was hunched over with laughter, her arms wrapped around her spasming stomach as she tried to breath but failed to do so when Chat lashed out.

“It’s not funny!” he cried, almost stomping his foot like a frustrating five-year-old.

She only laughed harder, leaning a hand against the wall with her reddening face from all the intense laughter. When she finally calmed down, straightening and wiping away the wetness from the corner of her eyes and fixing him with a bright smile, she had the audacity to mock him.

“Didn’t know I was that distracting,” she said, smugness in her voice.

 _Oh, it’s going to be like that?_ He thought to himself. _Well, two can play at that game, Ladybug._

“Looked in the mirror lately?” he asked her, teasing. “You’re absolutely gorgeous, My Lady.”

“Uh huh,” she said, crossing her arms at him. “And this is coming from the man that’s been saying it for all the three years we’ve known each other.”

“Just until you believe it to,” he said, smirking at her. “Besides, you are that distracting, Bugaboo.”

She cocked an eyebrow, “Is that so?”

“Oh, hell yes,” he said, proving it by stepping back and thoroughly, but respectfully, taking in her beautiful sight. “You’re the most gorgeous girl here.”

Her jaw locked in place and she looked away shyly, a blush dancing on her cheeks.

 _Yes!_ He silently celebrated. _I’ve got her!_

“Told you I could make you blush again,” he said, gesturing at her.

She scoffed, looking back at him with the blush still on her cheeks, making her ten times more endearing to look at as she tried to reject the idea.

“I’m not okay with this,” she said sardonically.

“Really?” he asked, giving her a teasing look. “Because you seemed pretty okay with it just a minute ago.”

“That’s because you ran into a wall.”

“Didn’t know I was that distracting,” he said, repeating what she said earlier while mimicking her tone.

She pressed her lips together in an effort to suppress a grin. “Touché.”

He grinned but winced as he did, his nose flaring up from his face muscles contracting to make him appear happy. He touched his nose and found it sensitive to pressure, and he groaned out loudly, leaning his head back.

“That’s going to leave a bruise,” he whined, touching his tender nose.

“Dammit, Chat,” Ladybug said, shaking her head at him. “Why do you always have to run into things?”

“Hey!” he said, offended. “You can’t blame me entirely!”

“Oh, yeah?” she asked, smirking at him as if he had no answer for the next question. “Then who should I blame then, huh?”

“Your wall smacking beauty, of course.”

She snorted, “Stop flirting and let me see.”

“Nah, it’s fine.”

“Chat—”

“Tis just a scratch, good sir.”

“Good Lord, Chat Noir,” Ladybug said, unable to hold back her amused smile. “C’mon, I wanna see it.”

He shook his head, “My Lady, really, I’m fine,” he said, trying to reassure her.

She shook her head, “Kitty, you always take care of me, now I want to take care of you.”

He was taken aback by this, “My Lady—”

“And no buts!” she exclaimed, pointing an accusatory finger at him, silencing him. “Let me make sure that pretty face of yours is alright.”

“Pretty face, ey?”

“Just—just come here!”

He leaned down a little bit to her eye level, which was when she reached up to his face, cradling it gently as her eyes looked for anything more than the forming bruise on his nose. He was too distracted by her focused eyes that casually flitting from the injury and into his gaze, and he was again astonished by the beautiful ocean he is completely willing to drown in forever.

“Okay,” she said, slowly leaning back with a look of slight confusion written on his face, stepping away a few feet. “Nothing looks out of place or broken, so I think you’re good.”

“Thank you, My Lady,” Chat said, playfulness back in his tone as he smiled at her. “I don’t remember the last time I hurt my beautiful face.”

Ladybug snorted and crossed her arms at her chest, “Well, good for you.”

He raised an eyebrow, “Do I hear jealousy in your voice?”

She gave him a look, “Why would I be jealous of your face fracture?”

He shrugged, “Why don’t you tell me?”

She rolled her eyes and shifted her weight, looking down. “Last week, I tripped, and face planted on the sidewalk,” she grimaced at the memory, “Not my best moment.”

Chat snorted, “Ah, My Lady? Clumsy? As if.”

“It’s true,” she retorted. “I’m so clumsy as a civilian.”

“Really?” Chat asked, genuinely surprised. “Didn’t peg you as one.”

She laughed dryly, meeting his eyes again with no playfulness in them anymore, more like they held pain rather than the happiness that had lit up her face just a few seconds ago. He missed that moment, and wanted to give it back to her, wanted her so desperately not to be sad. She deserved to be happy and vibrant, illuminating up a room with her light that shone brighter than anything else in the world. Anything in the universe, now that he thinks about.

“That’s because you put me on this pedestal, Chat,” she said, her tone saddened. “You make me out to be this perfect, untouchable Ladybug that’s fearless in the crossfire, but that’s not the case.” She shook her head, looking down in shame, “I’m not perfect, Chat,” she said, looking back up at him. “And I never will be.”

He pressed his lips together as the guilt weighed in on him. He hadn’t meant for her to feel this way, maybe all the pressure of her being Ladybug and her being on this pedestal he put her on was too much for her to take, and in the end, it wasn’t what she wanted.

“I know that,” he said, meeting her eyes. “I know you’re not perfect, My Lady.” He hesitantly stepped closer, as if she were an injured animal that he could scare away. “But when I put you on a pedestal, I’m not saying you’re perfect.” He reached out to her, but hesitated to touch her, “I just look up to you, Ladybug, so does everybody else. Not many people might see you as human, but I do, because I understand that pressure, that anxiety. I never meant to hurt you by making you think I believe you’re perfect,” he said, sincerity in his eyes. “All I’m saying is that you’re amazing, and beautiful, and the strongest person I know… but you’re not perfect.” He shrugged, “You’re perfectly imperfect, in my opinion, and that’s the best part about you.”

When her eyes refused to leave his, he found himself drowning in her perfect blue bell eyes, not even minding the way the water filled his lungs, making it hard to breath.

He always knew he was in love with this girl, the girl that was so strong and willing to fight for those who couldn’t fight for themselves, but also so kind and gentle. How he would willingly run into any danger for her or with her, as long as it meant being with her and keeping her safe. It was scary how much he cared for her, how much he valued her as his partner, but also as the love of his life. Even if she didn’t feel the same way.

“Chat…” she said, shifting her weight and holding her other wrist in her hand in front of her. “I… I never got to thank you.”

He grew confused. He furrowed his eyebrows as he studied her, watching as her shy eyes rose to meet his with a different look in them than they had before.

“Thank me?” he asked, confused. “For what?”

She stared at him for a long moment, opening and closing her mouth like it was stuck in the back of her throat. She looked like she was really trying to force it out of her, but the nervous look in her eyes and the way she closed them and looked down like she was ashamed, said enough.

What she was trying to say was hard, whatever it was.

“You don’t need to thank me for anything, My Lady,” he said gently, smiling at her once her gaze found his again. “It’s my pleasure doing anything for you.”

She smiled at him, “Thank you.” She looked down, not in shame but in shyness this time, her cheeks blushing lightly. “You’re unlike anyone I’ve ever known, Chat Noir,” she said, looking back up at him. “And, well, it’s nice… and I love… I love it.” She faltered a little bit on her last words, her cheeks now flaring up like a firework.

Those weren’t the only fireworks going on. Chat currently had a whole American Disneyland July Fourth fireworks show going on in his head. Why not add several excited dancers in his chest as well, celebrating yet another year of independence while everything in his body went haywire from her softly spoken words.

She loved it. _She loved how different he was compared to anyone she’s ever known!_

That’s a step in the right direction, right? That had to mean something! This… oh catnip, this was all too much for one night.

Trying to keep his composure despite her words that were making him go crazy, he smiled at her, his demeanor softening even more at the shy look she was giving him. He never knew his lady could be so endearingly shy around him, when she’s an independent, solid woman on the battlefield. He’s never seen this side of her, and he had to admit that he could definitely get used to it.

“You’re welcome, My Lady,” he said, smiling widely at her. He was about to say something else when they were rudely interrupted by the very last thing they thought would happen, but still, it wasn’t that surprising.

“Hey, Chat Noir~” He stiffened as he felt a hand wind around his bicep, looking over to see a blond girl with elegant ringlet hair that fell around her shoulders, her dazzling smile distracting. She smiled up at him with a flirtatious glint in her eyes that made him shift on his weight, glancing at Ladybug warily.

“I was lucky enough to get into this party,” she said, rubbing her hands up and down his arm. “I just couldn’t skip the opportunity of getting to meet you.”

Being the polite, gentleman he was, he laughed nervously, smiling at her with trepidation. “Well, thanks, I guess, now if you don’t mind, Ladybug and I—”

“Ladybug!” the girl cried, turning to face the masked hero with a wide smile on her face. She outstretched her hand, “Such an honor to meet you. I really look up to you, and I just wish I could do what you do, making such a huge difference out there. Not to mention you get to hang out with this cutie all the time,” she said, bumping Chat’s shoulder, making him blush. 

Ladybug glanced at her outstretched hand before hesitantly taking it, “Thank you, I guess.” She glanced at Chat once before quickly returning her eyes back to the girl, “So, you like Chat Noir?”

The girl nodded eagerly, “Oh yes! I really look up to him, you two are such an inspiration, especially Chat, any girl would be lucky to have him,” she said, her own cheeks starting to blush while she pushed a strand of hair out of her face. “Anyway, you guys are lucky you have each other. You guys make a very effective couple.”

It was hard to say who spoke first, since they both seemed to stumble over their words with blushing cheeks and nervous chuckles as they avoided each other’s eyes. Denying what was true even though it was painful, one of them refusing to believe it was painful to admit.

“What I mean to say is,” Ladybug said, finally catching her breath and giving Chat Noir a sad look. “We… we’re not a couple.”

Chat felt a familiar drop in his chest, the drop of disappointment.

The girl looked rather surprised, “ _Really?”_ Her face lit up so quickly that Chat had no time to react as she started tugging on his arm. “Then, Ladybug, you don’t mind if I introduce him to my friends?”

Chat looked over at Ladybug, finding her in a state of distress, her weight continuing to shift nervously as she avoided his eyes. He wished she would look at him, so that he could tell her that he wanted to stay with her, not go off and meet this random girl’s friends.

“I… I don’t mind,” she said, finally glancing at Chat but it was too quick for him to send the message to her. “But… it’s really up to Chat, if he wants to go.”

He was about to protest against it when the girl’s hand tightened around his arm, making him flinch as he looked over at her as she started tugging on him.

“Great!” she said, turning and pulling him with her. _She was really strong!_ “C’mon, Kitty Cat, you’re gonna love my friends!”

He cringed, “Please don’t call me that.” He turned his head to look back where Ladybug had been standing, but she was already gone.

. . .

Ladybug shouldn’t feel hurt, after all, she never liked Chat Noir (in that way) to begin with. She should be happy for her friend, finding someone who was genuinely interested in him, someone that actually tolerated his presence. Not saying that she didn’t like hanging around him, she did, but she made it seem like she didn’t, always making fun of him and teasing him.

She had always made it known that she was scared of losing him, to herself at least. But she found out that she wasn’t just scared of him dying in battle, but also losing him emotionally.

What if, because of her teasing and her not returning his feeling, it makes him drift away from her in the first place? What if, after everything they’ve been through, he finds someone else and leaves her in the dust? What if he decides to call someone else _My Lady_ instead of her? What if he falls for someone else, but still loves her as a friend, and she has to watch as he falls for someone else?

Chat has been doing it for years, but she could barely handle it for five minutes.

She was in the same hallway she and Chat were in before, bantering about random things and playfully teasing one another. Her refusing to admit that his flirtatious comments were actually getting to her, making her cheeks turn rosy and her eyes shy to meet his. She sat just outside the bathroom door she had been in, her back pressed against the wall and her knees pulled to her chest, the fabric of the dress covering her legs.

She refused to cry, 1) because it’s a pathetic thing to cry about and 2) she shouldn’t cry about it, because she has been through worse emotional turmoil than her partner choosing someone else over her.

_Her partner choosing someone else over her._

She groaned, struggling to hold the tears back and burying her face between her knees, mostly so it wasn’t evident she had been crying. With all the eye makeup she had decided to put on this evening and the beautiful mask at stake, she didn’t feel like crying. So, she didn’t, too scared if someone were to ask if she were alright, she would break down right in front of them.

Or worse, Chat Noir would ask her.

That is something she absolutely could not give into.

Just when she believed things couldn’t get worse, she felt someone slide down next to her, sitting shoulder to shoulder with her. She believed it was Chat, so she felt particularly annoyed.

“Go away, Chat,” she said, her voice muffled by her knees.

“Lucky I’m not Chat Noir, then.”

She jumped back, startled as she scooted away from the stranger. He had dark brown hair with lustful hazel eyes, a knee propped up with his elbow resting on top of it. He smirked at her, she guessed trying to pull one of those mischievous Chat Noir grins but failed miserably with the lustful look in his eyes.

“Who are you?” she asked, scooting further away.

“Does it matter?” he asked, his eyes flitting to her exposed leg, making her feel uncomfortable. “I don’t know your name either.”

She dropped her raised hand, giving him a wary look, “And that gives you the right to invade my personal space?”

He smirked, looking down like he was deep in thought, before quickly returning his gaze back to her, not even hiding the fact that he was checking her out.

“I see your bodyguard isn’t around,” he said, finally meeting her gaze, which made her look away.

She rolled her eyes before standing up, the man quickly following. “He’s not my bodyguard.”

He raised his hands in surrender, “Whatever, Prom Queen. Just saying,” he shrugged, “He’s a little intimidating and… well, he doesn’t seem to fit with you.”

She raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms at her chest. “He doesn’t seem to fit me?”

He nodded, “Yeah, I mean, you’re small and awkward, while he’s huge and intimidating.”

She scoffed, “Well, buddy, for your information,” she said, feeling anger rising in her chest. “Chat Noir is the best person I know, and me—” she shook her head threateningly at him, “You don’t want to mess with me.”

“What are you gonna do?” he asked giving her a pathetic look. “You’re not looking to threatening now, Ladybug.” His eyes glazed over her once more, making her blood run cold. “In fact, you’re looking rather… easy.”

She backed up, her eyes widening in fear as the man followed after her, “Don’t.”

“Who’s gonna stop me?” he said, his eyes darkening. “I doubt you can resist against me.”

She tried to turn and run but he reached out and grabbed her arm, pulling her back and grabbing hold of her wrists. He violently pushed her against the wall, making her cry out in pain as his tall figure towered over her like a dark cloud. Her eyes stared up at his devilish face, scared beyond her wits. Unable to scream because of the petrifying fear inside her body, all she could do is pray and hope that nothing happens more than this.

“Where’s your bodyguard now?” he asked.

“Right here.”

A fist came out of nowhere and hit the guys temple, making him stumble back, pulling Ladybug to the ground as well. The man fell back a few feet from her, and she scrambled away from him, and watched as a black figure raced after the man. He straddled the assaulter’s hips and grabbed his collar, before reeling back and punching him hard in the face, knocking him out.

She was surprised when the newcomer turned around, to find that it wasn’t Chat Noir, but rather a tall, African American man in a black suit with an earpiece in his ear. He looked to be maybe thirty years old or a little older, with broad, solid shoulders and gentle eyes that studied her carefully. It was a literal bodyguard that approached her carefully and crouched a few feet in front of her.

“Are you alright, Mlle. Ladybug?” he asked, his deep voice rumbling.

It took her a moment to register his question before slowly nodding. “Yeah,” she breathed, glancing back at the unconscious man. “Yeah… I’m—I’m okay.”

He nodded, “Good,” he said, before outstretching a hand to her. “Want help up?”

She hesitated, before letting the kind and gentle man pull her to her shaking feet. He held her hand, only to steady her as he reached for his radio and spoke a few words into it. The words she didn’t register, but the name he mentioned she did find familiar, and her heart relaxed a little bit.

Two more tall bodyguards, both white males with the same grim look on their faces rounded the corner. They approached the stirring assaulter and picked him up by the armpits, leading away further down the hallway to a place that Ladybug didn’t care where. As long as he was far away from her. 

She could feel her body starting to tremble, her thoughts flashing back to the last few minutes. Her mind being evil and exploring the possibilities that it could’ve led to, how only a few feet away was a bathroom with a door that she could’ve been locked inside of… with him. How he could’ve easily overpowered her and even dragged her towards the locked room.

She tried to control her breathing, but in the end, it was all in vain as her heart quickened. She felt closed in, boxed in, like the walls were closing in on her, ready to trap her. It was suddenly hard to breath, a wave of terror crashing into her so suddenly that she gasped.

_Is this what a panic attack feels like?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor buggette, I promise she's gonna be okay everyone!


	6. Rose

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was never about angels...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have "Not about Angels" by birdy ready to play ;)

Chapter 6: Rose

The only reason he was following around these twenty-something-year-old girls that kept hanging off his arms, claiming they could “give him everything he desired” was because he hoped he would catch sight of Ladybug. He quickly caught on to these women being sugar babies, looking for a sugar daddy and apparently, Chat Noir was the perfect target.

Oh, boy he couldn’t wait to leave this place.

“And then, he was like, ‘I can’t pay you until I get what I’m paying for,’” the blond girl, Clarissa, said speaking mostly to him but the other five of her friends paid close attention. “I mean, he objectified me! I can’t believe how sick he was!” she cried, before wrapping her arms around him and burying her face in his chest. That was about the sixth time she’s done that.

“I can’t imagine,” he said sarcastically, inching his way out of her embrace.

“Chat Noir.”

He turned and found a tall, very burly man in an old-fashioned tuxedo, an earpiece in his ear with a wire hanging down and attaching to his coat. He had an emotionless look on his face, but his eyes told him something was wrong.

He got a bad feeling in his chest as he pried Clarissa off him, turning fully to the bodyguard while locking his jaw. “What’s going on?”

“Come with me,” was all he said before he turned away.

Chat attempted to follow him, but Clarissa grabbed hold of his hand and tugged him back, worry on her face at losing her “customer.”

“Chat Noir, please don’t leave me,” she said, her anxiety almost pathetic. “I promise, I’ll make it worth your while if you stay!”

Disgusted, Chat ripped his hand free, giving her a harsh look. “Sorry,” he said, already walking away and shrugging at her halfheartedly. “I hate being objectified.” That’s when he turned away and rolled his eyes, catching up to the bodyguard and pushing the encounter out of his head.

“What’s going on?” he asked again, his curiosity rising. “And where’s Ladybug?”

The bodyguard glanced at him before looking straight ahead again, “We found her being harassed by a man down this hallway here,” he said, gesturing forward. “We had no choice but to step in, or else things could have escalated.”

Chat stopped in his tracks, staring at the bodyguard in disbelief. “You… you can’t be serious.”

The bodyguard put his hands behind his back, “Does it look like I’m joking?”

Taking that as his answer, Chat took off running past the bodyguard, heading in the direction of the hallway he and Ladybug had been in earlier.

 _I’m so stupid!_ He yelled at himself, rounding the corner and finding the staircase, running up them two at a time as fast as his human legs would take him. _I shouldn’t have left her alone. I should’ve been more insistent on staying with her!_

He reached the top of the stairs and turned the left corner, and caught sight of the scene, stopping at the top of the stairs and just staring.

Ladybug was sitting on a bench, hunched over and holding her face in her hands. Her once beautifully done hair now splayed around her bare shoulders in a mix of braids and curls. She was rocking back and forth, her body trembling as she refused to look up at the concerned bodyguard that was crouched in front of her.

He walked forward, not daring to run and startle her. As he approached, he made eye contact with the bodyguard trying to comfort her and told him by nodding to the left to step back. The bodyguard nodded in understanding and said one last thing to the hunched over girl, and walked past Chat towards the stairs, walking down them, and leaving them alone.

He didn’t know if she noticed him or not, only that she still refused to lift her eyes.

He was a little scared to look into those eyes that was hidden behind the curtain of hair and her hands that still covered her eyes. He didn’t want to see the pain or the uneasiness behind them, only because he didn’t know how he was going to take it. He had no idea how to comfort her, considering this is something he’s never dealt with before.

 _She’s fragile,_ a voice told him, a voice that usually spoke up when he was approaching an akuma victim. _You must make known your presence, make sure she knows you’re there and that you’re not going to hurt her._

He swallowed nervously and carefully stepped forward again, purposely making a lot of noise as he stepped in front of her.

He knew she was going to be startled no matter what, which is why he made sure to keep his distance as she flinched from the sounds and looked up with wide, fearful eyes.

“You’re okay,” he said, lifting his hand in a nonthreatening manner as he slowly crouched in front of her, never leaving her wide, teary eyes. “It’s just me.”

“Chat…” she said, her guard dropping a little bit as she let the fear leave her eyes and glanced down at her lap. “It’s just you.”

“Yeah,” he said, studying her carefully. “Are you okay?”

She didn’t answer, instead refusing to look at him while fiddling with her own fingers. She looked so small and vulnerable in that moment, which made Chat want to reach out and take her trembling body in his arms, hold her until she calmed down. But of course, her boundaries are important to him, and just a few minutes ago, her boundaries were invaded, and the last thing he wanted to do was scare her more than she already was.

After a long moment, he looked down and waited patiently for her to answer, if she ever did, which he was fine with. If she didn’t want to answer him, then he understood, she didn’t have to, having her sitting there somewhat composed with herself was reassurance enough that she was okay.

“Chat?”

He looked up and met her eyes, finding them trying to desperately hold back the tears that wanted to spill out of her.

Without saying much else, she reached out to him, her face contorting as words were no longer possible with her tightening throat. Never in the history that Chat Noir has known Ladybug, has he ever rejected a hug from her, and he wasn’t going to start now.

He got on his knees and inched closer, before wrapping his arms around her middle and pulling her close against him. She basically collapsed into his arms, wrapping her arms under his armpits and crushing his body against hers, holding him so tight he could feel her muscles starting to tremble from the effort.

He gently stroked her hair and rubbed the bare skin of her back, letting his fingertips sooth her until she relaxed in his hold.

He shushed her gently, “It’s okay, My Lady,” he said, holding her tighter. “You’re okay.”

She sobbed once, “Chat…?”

He understood immediately and didn’t hesitate. Still holding her close, he stood to his feet and pulled her with him, setting her down on her trembling legs and pulling her flush against him, feeling her rapid heartbeat in her chest. He could tell that she needed to be close to him, needing someone to hold onto while her fear attacked her mercilessly.

“Try to breath, My Lady,” he said gently, feeling her chest rising and falling quickly against him.

She held onto him, her fingers digging into the fabric of his coat like if she let go or held too loosely, she could lose him.

“I can’t breathe, Chat,” she said, gasping in his hold.

He leaned back and sank to her eye level, watching as she started to hyperventilate. Her eyes looked panicked and full of pain as she tried to slow her breathing, but the gasps of air kept washing over her like an intense tidal wave, making her whimper in front of him.

“Hey, hey,” he said, moving closer and pressing his forehead against hers. “Breath. You’re okay, it’s just me.”

She clutched at her chest, “Chat…” she struggled out his name.

He reached for her hand and held it, bringing it up to his chest and pressing it against his heart, his own pounding heartbeat evident to her.

She stilled, looking down at her hand on his chest with a look of confusion on her face. She stared at it for a long moment, before tearing her eyes from his chest and then back up to his own eyes, meeting them. Her wide blue bell eyes stared into his green ones, and she visibly relaxed, her shoulders slumping, her head tilting, and her eyes never leaving his while the fear dripped out of them.

“Just breath,” he said, never leaving her gaze.

She nodded before closing her eyes and focusing on her breathing, her hand pressing a little harder into his chest, like she was trying to feel his heartbeat better. Like she needed more proof that he was a safe place for her to go and relax.

She swallowed thickly before speaking quietly, “Chat,” she whispered. She opened her eyes and smiled lightly at him, a grateful smile, not a content smile. “I’m okay,” she reassured.

It was his turn to relax now, slumping his shoulders as he bowed his head, closing his eyes as the relief passed over him like a crashing tidal wave. Sure, he was mad, confused and overly angry with himself for leaving her alone, but she was there, relatively unharmed, and _safe._

That was more than he could’ve asked for.

“I’m sorry,” he said, shaking his head and refusing to look at her out of shame. “I’m so stupid for leaving you alone. I shouldn’t have left you alone in the first place, I should’ve—”

“It’s not your fault, Chat,” she said, watching him. “Don’t beat yourself up over something that’s already happened.”

“But it happened to you,” he said, finally raising his gaze and looking her in the eyes. “I don’t know what I would’ve done if… if you were—”

“Please,” she interrupted, closing her eyes and shaking her head, like she was trying to block something out. “Please, stop.” She looked down and squeezed her eyes shut, “I don’t want to think about it.”

He immediately felt guilty and leaned forward, pressing his forehead to hers and closing his own eyes, “Sorry,” he said, squeezing her hands. “I’m sorry.”

She shifted in front of him and grabbed his hand, squeezing it and forcing him to meet his eyes. “Can we leave?”

He nodded immediately, “Of course.”

He never let go of her trembling hand as they walked back down the hallway, making sure she was balanced as they made their way down the stairs. When they reached the bottom, they decided to take a short cut and walked through the ballroom. Luckily, unlike before, the people in the ballroom didn’t pay much attention to them as they made their way through the crowd.

Holding her hand tightly, he pulled her through the crowd of people and made their way to the door at the other end, reaching it and pushing it open and into the night air.

What they saw, stopped them in their tracks.

“Chat,” she said, looking around the scene. “Have… have you been here before?”

He shook his head in astonishment, “I never even knew the Louvre had a backyard garden.”

It was true, as they stepped further into the evening night, the elegant music playing from inside of the ballroom through the slightly cracked door, voices slowly dissipating as their full attention was bestowed upon the garden in front of them.

They stood at a balcony with two left and right staircases on either side of them that led down to the garden walkways. The moonlight shone down in strong beams of silver light, glistening off the pavement and giving the scene an elegant glow. The walkway through the garden was cobblestoned, giving it an old age vibe from some old romance movie. The pathway led to the center of the garden, where a large and beautiful stone fountain glistened in the moonlight, the water spilling over the top and sending waterfalls down its side. Pools of water dripped over the side, and the sound of water slashing from a smaller bowl to an even bigger bowl and so on filled the night air.

Fireflies danced all around them, their little spotlights flashing delicately in the evening night, floating over every flower bed there was. And the flower bed? Every single one of them was filled completely with large, fully blossomed and bold red roses that danced in the fireflies’ light and glistened along with the moon.

Chat Noir couldn’t help but hold his breath, staring out at the magical scene.

“This…” Ladybug started, looking around. “This is… beautiful.”

He couldn’t agree more, “Yeah,” he said, also admiring the garden. “I’ve never been on this side of the building.” He glanced down at the cobblestone walkway before turning towards her, tugging on her hand a little bit. “I don’t know about you, but I could use a closer look.”

She hesitated, looking around nervously while tugging back on his hand. “Are we even allowed back here?”

He shrugged, still trying to lead her forward. “We’re _superheroes,_ My Lady,” he said, smiling at her. “The worst they can do is give us a warning.” He stepped closer, not letting go of her hand, “C’mon, you really gonna let me go down there alone?”

She scoffed, before shaking her head. “If we get in trouble, I’m blaming you.”

He chuckled, “I have absolutely no problem with that.”

He held her hand delicately and led her down the left staircase, going down in a slight spiral before reaching the first of the cobblestone pathway. He heard Ladybug’s shoes click down on the pavement, and they both flinched at the loudness of the sound, looking around nervously.

“I’ll just take them off,” she said, using his arm as leverage as she bent to take off her high heeled shoes. When she reached down to take them in her hands, she sighed, holding them by the straps and straightening, a pleased look on her face. “That feels so much better.”

He grinned down at her, and she quickly noticed, looking up with confusion at his tall figure. “What?”

He only grinned wider, smiling and walking forward while shaking his head, “Nothing,” he said, admiring the roses next to him and letting his fingertips drag over the petals delicately. “I just forgot how short you are,” he added nonchalantly.

He could feel her heated annoyance rising quickly behind him, and he reveled in the way he practically heard her jaw hit the floor.

“Making fun of my height, now are we?” she asked from behind him.

He turned back to her, spreading his arms at her in a “face the facts” motion while he tried to suppress his grin that wanted to break his face.

“I’m teasing,” he said, laughter in his voice. “Only because your height is one the many things I like about you.”

She rolled her eyes, “Here we go again.”

He cocked an eyebrow, “You don’t believe me?”

She met his eyes, her arms crossed stubbornly at her chest. A smile hinted at her lips as she shook her head once, the playfulness returning to her eyes.

It gave him an unmeasurable amount of joy to see that glint in her eyes again.

“What are these many things you like about me, Kitty?” she asked. She shrugged playfully, “You’re gonna have to prove to me how much you adore me.”

He could most _definitely_ prove that.

“Right, Kitty Cat?” she asked, playfulness in her tone.

He grinned, liking the name only on her lips rather than anyone else’s. “Do you want a heartfelt poem of all the ways I think you’re amazing or a simple confession?” he asked, liking where this conversation was going and absolutely not ashamed of what he could say next.

She raised an eyebrow, “I think we both know I’m an extravagant girl,” she winked, “I have high expectations.”

He grinned, before waving her forward. She obliged and walked to him, letting him take her hand in his while he stroked her knuckles, hopefully having an effect on her.

He had no idea. On the inside, Ladybug was screaming at herself, warning herself away from the dangerous territory she was in. Especially how much she liked the feeling of his skin stroking hers, ever so delicately drawing little circles around her knuckles. Her inner turmoil from earlier events quickly started dissipating at his gentle touch and faded into a memory that was stored in the back of her brain.

“There was something about you the day we met,” Chat said, his voice barely evident over the fountain. “I don’t know if it was the Miraculous or the way you literally fell on me—”

“Which was an accident,” she piped in, but left no anger in her voice.

“That was an accident,” he agreed.

She refused to meet his gaze, too afraid of how he might be looking at her. She knew he was giving her one of his longing, cat eyed and very adorable looks that she thought were endearing, but also sad, but now as she thought of them, she didn’t feel as guilty as she did before. She used to feel guilty because she would always be the one that would reject him in the end, but now… would she still reject him now? As she listened to his poetic verse about his love for her?

Why did she agree to this again?

Oh, right, to prove to herself that this was just a bunch of bundled up emotions, that after this confession she’ll remember the boy she’s been pining after for about three years now and focus back on him. That after this, she will no longer feel so strangely attached to her partner, that abnormal longing she has for Chat Noir. That everything will go back to easy and simple, that everything will go back to normal.

Well, she was in over her head.

“Maybe it was the way your eyes shined in the sunlight, or how confident you were taking down all those akumas at once,” he continued, his voice low and sure. “Or maybe it was the way you faced that fear head on, not backing down when Hawkmoth outwardly threatened you and the city you love.”

She listened to him, listening to the way her heart picked up pace in her chest, how her blood started pumping her ears, and how her nerves became less nervous and more excited.

She had no idea why.

“Your hair is long and dark, completely opposite of mine, and I absolutely love it,” he said, making it clear as he took a strand between his fingertips. He met her eyes, “Your eyes are the bluest ocean I could ever let myself drown in, forever falling deeper into those pretty eyes of yours.” He shook his head, a smile appearing on his face out of nowhere as he gently took her waist in his hand. “You’re so strong and confident, and leveling up any girl I’ve ever known, just by being who you are.” He reached further back, and traced his fingertips down her spine, making her take a sharp intake or breath. “And, seeing your skin, feeling your skin for the first time,” he said, letting his fingertips carefully explore the beauty that was her skin. “It’s making my brain go insane.”

He reached up with his other hand and cradled her chin lightly, leaning in ever so closer as he smiled at her. “But those are just the physical things,” he said. “The soul I see behind those eyes,” he shook his head in astonishment, “Unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. The closest comparison would be my mother,” he said, smiling bittersweetly, “And I really wish you could meet her.”

He continued before she could comment on his sad tone. “Your very name gives me pure joy, and the thought of your smile makes me start smiling.” He smirked, his way of saying he was about to say something funny, “I love it when you tease me, or call me nicknames, they make me feel good and safe. Anything with you is… homey.” He smiled sweetly at her, “From the very first day I met you, after watching you take on the impossible,” he paused, staring at her. “I knew.”

She looked up at him then, finally meeting his nervous eyes that shone with confidence, his fears reflecting back against her own as he shone with pride with the statement that they both knew was coming.

“You knew what?” she asked, hesitance in her voice.

He stared down at her for a long moment, his eyes unreadable as he studied her own, his nerves getting the better of him and he looked away, casting his gaze over the flower bed. He bent down and plucked a single rose from the edge of the pathway, taking it carefully in his hands as he peeled off all the thorns from the long stem. When he was finished, he met her eyes before extending the rose to her, the bold red matching her super suit.

“The moment I knew I had to get you a rose,” he said, smiling sadly at her.

As she stared into his eyes, hesitantly taking the rose delicately into her fingers, she knew that it wasn’t what he wanted to say.

But despite her disappointment along with the rising feeling in her chest that she was completely okay with having there, the feeling that was so filling and whole. A feeling that was spurred by him and his gentle words, even the words unspoken.

And that was enough for right now.

Music suddenly entered her thoughts and she was interrupted by a beautiful, delicate pressing of keys that sounded uneven and lifted, almost sad, but a good sad.

“I love this song,” Chat said, looking down at her with a smile on his lips. He bent over slightly, offering his hand to her with a glint in his eyes. “Care to dance?”

_We know full well there’s just time._

The singer’s gentle voice is what brought her up from the ocean she was drowning in, reminding her that she was so lucky to have this man in front of her.

_So is it wrong to toss this line?_

She let her hand slowly settle into his, and he led her forwards, him walking backwards until they stood in front of the fountain. He lifted their joined hands next to them and then wrapped an arm around her, his fingertips brushing her bare skin.

_If your heart was full of love._

The intake of breath was light, but there, and she could no longer deny that she liked his touch.

She rested her other arm around his shoulder, the one holding the rose, and let him take the first step forward, holding her close against him.

_Could you give it up?_

They fell into a steady motion, the air between them filled with the breath of their lungs as they tried desperately to control themselves from each other’s closeness.

_‘Cause what about, what about angels?_

_They will come, they will go, make us… special._

She hoped this angel wouldn’t…

_Don’t give me up_

Was she hoping, or praying… or begging?

_Don’t give… me up._

The music become less delicate and more intense as it entered into the second verse, adding new lines of music to the background which gave her chills as she watched his eyes.

_How unfair, it’s just our love._

He pushed her away slightly, and raised their joined hands above them, and she smiled as she spun underneath them, giggling as he pulled her back to him.

_Found something real that’s out of touch._

As she went back into his arms, he spun them, holding her waist delicately with both hands and hugging her closely, both of them smiling like it was a slow-motion scene in a movie.

_But if you’d search the whole wide world._

She was surprised when he reached around her and held her back tightly, before dropping her backwards in a dip, forcing her to grab onto his shoulders. She hadn’t expected to meet his longing eyes either, but when she did, she completely stilled, and they held the dip for longer than necessary.

_Would you dare to let it go?_

He pulled her back up and held her close as they swayed, listening to the beautiful piece of music, wrapping both his arms around her back and burying his face into her hair. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, and dared to press her cheek to his, closing her eyes as the chorus began yet again.

_‘Cause what about, what about angels?_

What about them?

_They will come—_

He already came.

_They will go—_

“Please don’t go,” she whispered.

_Make us… special._

Was this special?

_Don’t give me up._

She pulled him closer, despite her raging thoughts and protests.

_Don’t give… me up…_

_‘Cause what about, what about angels?_

_They will come, they will go, make us… special._

The song softened, making the two masked superheroes stop dancing and lean back to look at each other.

A single note played in the air, jolting her thoughts and making her realize…

_It’s not about, not about angels…_

It never was.

_Angels…_

It was about…

A note played in the air.

Him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...It was always about him. 
> 
> Ahh, I'm gonna go die in my Ladynoir pit of fluff now. 
> 
> I'll come back to life when I can post again.


	7. Interviews

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ladybug and Chat Noir both reveal some surprising things about each other... and to themselves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These two are so cheesy and emotional, I love it.

Chapter 7: Interviews

“Chat—”

“C’mon, My Lady, it won’t be that bad!”

“Remember what happened last time we did this?”

“Okay, yeah, I admit, that was pretty bad—”

“It was very bad.”

“—Very bad—”

“Understatement of the century.”

“Fine! Fine, it was _very bad,_ but really, what are the odds of something like that happening again?” Chat questioned, giving her his signature smirk.

Ladybug, fully dressed in her super suit, standing on top of the television building they were supposed to be in five minutes ago, was having last minute doubts, and this time, she was sure of herself that this was a _very bad idea._

“Pretty high,” she retorted, crossing her arms at her chest. “And Chat Noir, how on earth did you convince me to get this far with this _very bad idea_?”

He smirked at her, “With my irresistible charm, of course.”

She scoffed, rolling her eyes, “I can’t believe you.”

He groaned, “C’mon, Ladybug!” he whined, gesturing at her. “For once, loosen up a bit!”

“Loosen up?” she said, turning to him. She was offended, mostly because he smirked when he realized he hit a nerve. Chat Noir always knew how to push her buttons, make her blush, and force her to be flustered in the middle of the wrong moments. Right now, for example, as he was pushing her to go inside, sit down on a couch with him, and answer questions she shouldn’t be answering in the first place.

And mind her, he sprung the question on her in the middle of an akuma battle, where she automatically said yes as an answer because she was distracted. And she couldn’t take it back now that it was out there and because her freaking partner, is a nut case.

“I can loosen up,” she said, loosening her shoulders up just for show. “I’m the loosest person in Paris!”

Chat snorted, “No offense, My Lady, but you look like you’re trying too hard.”

“Well, you’re not giving me much of a choice!”

“Of course I am,” he said, gesturing at the door behind them, “Come in with me, or I’ll drag you in by the leg.”

She groaned before turning from him, attempting to walk away from him. But Chat ran after her, grabbing her wrist and pulling her gently back.

“Nah-uh, My Lady,” he said, making a tsk-tsk sound with his tongue. “You are doing this, whether you like it or not.”

She raised an eyebrow at him, “Oh, really?” she asked, leaning forward while teasingly squinting her eyes at him. “And what’s gonna make me?”

He smiled sweetly at her, “I’ll give you a rose every Sunday.”

She faltered at that. For the past month, ever since the ballroom party at the Louvre, Chat Noir had given her two roses during two of their patrols, and she loved taking them from him and leaving them on her desk for her to look at constantly. She loved it when he gave her roses, and he knew it, which made it almost impossible to resist anything he asked of her.

Like going into that building and participating in that stupid interview.

She sighed, staring into his adorable, excited eyes as she weighed her options.

A second later she lets out a frustrated, “Fine!”

“Yes!” Chat celebrated, pounding a fist in the air.

“But!” she said, making him stop as she pointed a finger at him like he was a naughty kitty, which he was. “We don’t answer any personal questions about each other, especially the things we’ve told each other about ourselves.”

He saluted her, “Cat’s honor, My Lady, I would never dishonor you.”

She sighed, shaking her head, “What am I going to do with you?”

He grinned, before pecking her lightly on the forehead, which was a normal thing they did now, and leaned back to study her with a stupid grin on his face. “Whatever seems fit, Bugaboo,” he said, before taking her hand and leading her towards the door. “But right now, you have to answer the questions!”

“Oh, brother,” she said, but she let him lead her inside anyway.

. . .

Inside was just a lot of hallways and staircases, leading down to the middle floor where all the television production was taking place. They walked down the main staircase, their footsteps echoing off the ghostly walls of the vacant stair well, creating room for the comfortable silence the two superheroes fell into.

Chat Noir walked in front of her, about five steps ahead of her as she followed him down the vacant staircase, her eyes flicking to his back every once in a while. Barely holding onto the railing next to her, she let her eyes roam around his very toned back, watching as the muscles released and contracted as he walked. Their super suits did almost nothing when it came to hiding their toned, muscled bodies, probably for the protection and security of whoever was wearing the suit making sure they don’t trip over a cape or something.

When they were young, arrogant teens with absolutely no idea what they were doing, it was easier not to let her eyes flick to his pre-teen body. But when he turned sixteen, leading into seventeen, puberty hit Chat Noir _hard_ and _good_.

He had more of an adult body than a teenager body, his muscles quickly grew along with his height, growing over two inches in less than a month. His super suit seemed to mold with him, but it was tighter and more… exposing. Chat Noir doesn’t seem to mind it, how tight and vulnerable the suit makes him look, but maybe that has something to do with him being a boy.

For her, having more to show off than him, she felt uncomfortable when puberty also did her well, if she calls it that. When her feminine body started taking form, she was just about to turn seventeen, so it wasn’t even that long ago. Of course, her curves became more evident as she finally grew into her body, feeling more comfortable with it, but at the same time, it wasn’t everyday she wore a skintight leotard in public.

As she moved from her stick like pre-teen body into her more mature and curvy body, the men in the city started taking notice more than her. She was used to men trying hit on her, which is why the harassment wasn’t anything that new to her, the only problem was her not having her super abilities and her intimidating vibe to make him back off. But sometimes, these men would come up from behind, surprise her out of nowhere and make her feel uncomfortable and attacked.

That’s when Chat Noir would step in. Even though he was as silly as a kitten with a ball of yarn, almost as harmless as a little baby kitten, always making cat puns and jokes, he can be pretty intimidating when he wanted to be. Even without his superpowers, he was still a tall, muscular and very intimidating man at only eighteen. He would step in front of her with a dark look in his eyes, staring down at whatever man had decided it was an excellent idea to approach the saviors of Paris.

She was grateful for that, even when she was a stubborn girl who prefers to be the independent person she knows she is, but sometimes it’s good to have someone step in and save the day for once. Chat Noir knew when to get involved and knew when to leave it to her, which is something she really liked about her partner.

She guessed she never thanked him for being such a good partner.

“Chat,” she called as they went down yet another staircase.

He stepped onto one of the platforms between two staircases, turning to look at her. “Yeah?”

She followed him and stepped close to him, taking his hand. Surprised by her actions, Chat looked down at their lacing hands with wide eyes, confusion and surprise in them, but he didn’t dare let go.

“I never got to thank you,” she said, squeezing his fingers.

He gave her a questioning look, “For what?”

She smiled at him, “For being such a good partner… and friend.”

His lips parted in yet another look of surprise, before his features softened as he gazed down at her with a loving look in his eyes. He leaned down and pressed a delicate kiss to her forehead, making her catch her breath.

“It’s my pleasure, My Lady,” he said, smiling at her. He tugged on her hand and they started walking down the stairs hand in hand. “Now, c’mon! We’re already late!”

She giggled and followed him suit, finding herself liking the sensation of his hand in hers.

They reached the correct floor and pushed through the doors, still holding hands as they entered into the hallway, where a few people with clipboards and headphones stood outside a door. They all turned towards the approaching superheroes, who had dropped each other’s hands, and they all breathed a sigh of relief.

“Chat Noir! Ladybug!” called a woman with blond hair and a relieved smile on her face. “We’re so glad you showed up, you guys are on in three minutes.”

“Sorry for the tardiness,” Chat said, winking at Ladybug. “Some of us are a little camera shy.”

“Chat!”

“That’s all for good measure,” the blond woman said, pushing the doors open to the large open studio where Nadja Chamack sat on a couch in the center of the studio stage. “All of Paris and maybe the entire world will be watching.”

“Yup,” Ladybug said, glancing at Chat Noir nervously. “That’s what we’ve been told.”

Chat noticed her slight anxiety and reached over and took her hand, squeezing it lightly before letting it go once more. “Don’t worry, Ladybug,” he said, leaning close to whisper in her ear. “We don’t have to answer any of the personal questions.”

She smiled at him, grateful. “I know,” she patted his shoulder, “Thanks, Kitty.”

They sat on the couch across from Nadja Chamack who immediately struck up a conversation with them, one that didn’t include any prying questions. Ladybug had a feeling that she wanted to make up for the last time they did this, when she demanded inappropriate answers out of them even before she was akumatised. She guessed that was another reason she had agreed to doing this, it was a way to give Mlle. Chamack closure for her past actions, and Ladybug was all about closure.

“Going live in three, two, one! Action!”

“Don’t be bemused, it’s just the news, I’m Nadja Chamack, and after years of waiting, we are finally delivering! Ladybug and Chat Noir have agreed to join me in a very special interview asking specifically what their superhero life is like.” Nadja paused and looked down at the tablet she was holding, scrolling for about two seconds before looking back up at the superheroes with a smile on her face. “All the questions have been sent in by fans, wanting to know about you. Of course, we will not ask you any questions that seem inappropriate, and feel free to reject answering any questions if you feel uncomfortable.”

“Thank you, Nadja,” Ladybug said, smiling at the reporter. “We really appreciate it, more than you think.”

Nadja beamed, before swiping towards the giant screen next to them on her tablet, where a question appeared on the screen.

“Ladybug and Chat Noir,” Nadja started, giving them a smile. “Could you tell the audience what your first impressions were of each other?”

“You mean when LB here practically fell for me?” Chat interjecting before Ladybug could even answer.

Face red and her heart skipping a few beats, she slapped him on the shoulder. “I fell _on_ you, Cat-boy,” she said, pushing him lightly, making him grin like a mad man. “And it was an accident!”

He gave her a surrender with his hands raised, grinning slyly. “Whatever you say, Bugaboo, but really, what was your first impression of me?” He leaned his chin on his fist, blinking at her like a child trying to bribe their parents.

She rolled her eyes before focusing back on the question. She remembered the day they first met, when she literally launched herself over Paris and into his arms, tangling them upside down with her yo-yo. She remembered how clumsy and unsure of herself she was, how Chat Noir was so kind and—

“Patient,” she finally decided, looking over at Chat, whose face morphed from playful to interested, and maybe a little bit surprised to. “When I was struggling with taking on the roles of being a superhero, he was patient with me, helping me through it. I was so unsure and awkward when it came to being behind the masks, but with him there, everything just started clicking.” She gave him a sincere look, “Anyone else, and I wouldn’t be here.”

Chat stared at her for a long moment, his eyes wide and surprised by her very honest answer until Nadja jolted him back to reality with her question.

“Chat Noir, what about you?” she asked.

Chat gave Ladybug one last look of interest before turning back to Nadja, gaining his charisma back as he flashed his signature smile at her. “Well, I don’t know if I could top Ladybug’s answer, but…” he trailed off, entering his train of thought similarly to how she did. Finally, he looked back up, “She was kind to me,” he said, settling on his answer with a casual tone. “It’s been… it’s been a while since someone’s been kind to me, at the time anyway, and well,” he looked at her, smiling lightly. “I guess that’s why I’m so attached to her.”

There were a few quiet “awws” from behind the cameras as Ladybug’s face decided to match her super suit. She was unable to look away from Chat and his very attractive, very kind and sincere green eyes that she just started drowning in.

“Next question!” Nadja piped in, breaking the spell and making Ladybug jerk away from his gaze, but she could tell Chat was a little more hesitant as he slowly peeled his eyes off her.

“How difficult is it balancing the superhero life and your civilian lives?” Nadja asked, looking at them expectantly.

Ladybug breathed, this was easier to answer, she could handle this. She was just about to speak up, but a certain Kitty beat her to it.

“Hard,” Chat immediately said, making her look at him. He laughed dryly before continuing, “I have a lot of responsibilities outside of being a superhero, but I’m willing to put up with the pressure if it means protecting Paris.” He looked over at her and gave her a sweet smile, “Plus, I get to spend time with this lovely lady,” he said, bumping his shoulder into hers playfully.

Ladybug, trying so hard not to blush but failed miserably as she searched for a way to answer the question, almost collapsed in relief when she found the answer.

“I’d have to agree,” she said, nodding. “Outside of my superhero life, no one knowns my identity, and keeping it from my friends, and my family is something I hate doing,” she sighed, wishing she could tell them exactly what she couldn’t. “But if it means keeping them safe, then I’m willing.”

Nadja gave them both an approving nod. “You two are very inspirational, the way you voluntarily give up part of your lives so that you can save Parisian lives,” she shook her head, looking down at her tablet before looking up at them with a look of gratitude on her face. “It’s something I could never do, so,” she looked back and forth between them, “Thank you.”

Ladybug and Chat Noir were speechless, they never were properly thanked for doing what they do.

Nadja looked back down at the tablet and grew a hesitant look on her face before looking back up at the superheroes. “This was asking by over ten thousand users, it’s a little personal, so don’t feel obligated to answer it.”

Ladybug nodded in encouragement, “It’s alright, Nadja.”

She nodded, “How old are you two?”

Chat gasped before looking over at Ladybug with a pleading look in his eyes, the whites of his eyes sparkling like an anime movie as he begged her.

She sighed, giving him an amused look before giving in to those adorable green eyes. “Go ahead, alley cat,” she said, gesturing forward and leaning back.

His hand shoot straight up in the air, a look of excitement in his eyes as if he were a first grader in the classroom who knew all the right answers. “I’m older!” he exclaimed, looking way to pleased with himself.

“But more childish,” Ladybug said, flicking his bell.

“Hey!” Chat said, shoving her playfully. “Let’s not forget who’s biologically older here!”

“Or who has less command in this duo,” she said, smirking at him.

He rolled his eyes, “Ah, c’mon!” he said, exasperated but still playful. “At least give me some credit!”

“Fine!” she said, gesturing at the cameras. “Go ahead and tell them.”

He gestured at himself, still smiling silly from their bantering. “I’m eighteen, and she’s seventeen,” he said, using his thumb to point at her.

Nadja gained a surprised look on her face as she turned to Chat, “Chat Noir, you’re older than her?”

He smirked, “Isn’t it obvious?” he said, striking a pose while pursing his lips. Ladybug slapped her forehead.

“No, just,” Nadja said, before looking down at her screen with wide eyes. “Your fans are gonna have a field day with that.”

“What?” both Ladybug and Chat said at the same time.

“Next question!” Nadja said, before swiping up the next question that appeared on the big screen. “What’s the best part about being a superhero?”

“The suits obviously,” Chat said, standing up and flexing his muscles, showing off his very defined and _very_ tight suit. “Just look at the way I look in this thing!”

Ladybug, trying to avoid staring at his very toned abs right in eyesight, waved at him to sit down trying not to get to flustered. “Okay, Kitty-Cat,” she said, as he sat down next to her again. “Stop flexing before you break the cameras.”

He bumped his shoulder with her playfully, “Admit it, you can’t resist me and my purrrfect body.”

She giggled, “Right, you keep believing that.” She turned back to Nadja with a less flustered blush and more of a content blush, mostly because she like how close he was sitting next to her, despite all the room on the other side of him.

“I think what the cat is trying to say is that, while the suits are pretty cool, we want to help people, and the super suits allow us to do that,” she glanced at him with confidence in her eyes before looking back at Nadja. “Soon enough, we’ll defeat Hawkmoth and make Paris safe again.”

“Meow,” Chat said, bringing her attention back to him. “Well said, My Lady.”

She blushed, smiling to herself as she looked away from him.

“Speaking of which,” Nadja jumped in, both her and Chat Noir oblivious to her inner turmoil. “A lot of fans sent in this question.” She used her finger to swipe the next question up on the screen, and as Ladybug read it in her head, she became curious herself.

“Chat Noir,” Nadja continued. “Why do you call Ladybug ‘My Lady’?”

Chat looked taken aback by the question, his lips parted and his eyes widening in surprise as his cheeks suddenly flushed with color.

“Oh,” was all he said, shifting his weight as he avoided her eyes. “Well, uh—” he finally glanced at her nervously, as if the answer to the question might scare her away.

Well, that depends exactly how she feels about his answer.

He leaned forward and rested his arms on his knees, his leg beginning to tap slowly in an offbeat rhythm. “Well, first of all, it’s just a nickname,” he said, his voice trembling a little. “She’s not, we’re not—” he looked at her for a moment, before looking back at Nadja, “We’re not together, is what I’m trying to say.”

“Then why?” Ladybug piped in; her curiosity not being satisfied.

Chat looked over at her, his eyes soft as he studied her with a nervous glint behind those beautiful green eyes. He doesn’t look away as he spoke his next words carefully, a tremor in his voice.

“Because I want us to be,” he said, still not looking away. “I want ‘My Lady’ to mean something more than it means to you right now, I want it to be… not a label, but someone I can call my own, something I can say is mine, and no one else’s.” He laughed dryly before looking back at Nadja, breaking the spell that was flowing between them. “I guess you could say it’s me… subtly telling Ladybug my… my true feeling for her.”

He said all of this, on live television while sitting right next to her.

What was most shocking, or amazing to her, was that… the longing in her chest she’s been feeling for him for over a month now, settled in her chest, and stayed there.

Because she _wanted_ it to stay there.

“It’s no secret I’m head over heels for you,” Chat said, turning back to her. “This is just me finally confessing it to the world.”

“Ladybug?” Nadja said, jumping her back to reality where more than one person lived in this world besides Chat Noir. “Based off Chat Noir’s confession, do you ever think something more could happen between you to?”

She panicked at the question, opening and closing her mouth at an attempt to answer, using the same answer she had every time Chat Noir asked her the same thing. That she was in love with someone else, that she can’t accept his love, that they can’t be together. But all her denials fell on her own deaf ears, pounding blood through her veins as her chest filled with the realization that there was something more here.

All the denying and playing around the truth fell flat at her feet, and she was left utterly silent as the truth came crashing down on her.

“Ladybug?” she heard Nadja say, but she didn’t meet her eyes.

Chat, being the loving human being he is, must’ve sensed her distress and turned to Nadja, “Can we move onto the next question?”

Nadja agreed and Ladybug remained somewhat silent for the rest of the interview, only piping up when she absolutely had to answer. Luckily for her, the partner right next to her, occasionally rubbing the side of her thigh where no one could see, used his touch to sooth her pounding heart, even if he had no idea what she was freaking out about. He answered most of the questions, using his very attractive charisma to keep the situation not awkward since the red masked hero was no longer in the position to answer anything.

She was very distracted by the way he seemed to multitask. Both touching her carefully, giving her sparks that passed between them and keeping the conversation with Nadja going. His comforting, gentle hands never left her for too long, always touching her shoulder when he started talking about her in the interview or taking her hand nonchalantly in the middle of saying something.

She found he loved to fiddle with her fingers. When he did take her hand sometimes, he would lace them together and tap them with his fingertips while he talked. No one pointed out how they held hands, maybe concluding that they were both more physical with each other since the last time they were on live television. Before, she would keep shooing him off her, always brushing him off, not too accustomed to his touch. But as he traced little circles in the back of her hand, occasionally squeezing it in comfort, she found herself hoping this moment never ended.

She was thankful that it didn’t end as quickly as it did, because once the interview was over, Chat let go of her hand only to shake hands with everybody else who offered before they left the room. He took her hand once more in his and led her out the doors and up the staircase, back to the roof.

It felt intimate in a way, how he seemed to read her thoughts and know that she wanted him to keep holding her hand, but she was too nervous to ask him for it.

She was grateful for that, too.

They reached the roof, and stepped out into the cold night air, the wind on the tall skyscraper blowing on the skin of their necks and faces. The cold wind was comforting to Ladybug, because it was something familiar and normal, not something foreign and making her freak out, exactly what this thing she’s realizing was doing to her now.

“Ladybug?” Chat said, his voice piercing the wind. “You okay?”

She doesn’t answer.

He sighed behind her, “Look, if this is about what I said earlier, about confessing how… how I feel about you, I-I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to—”

“Give me your Miraculous,” she blurted.

Chat stilled, his eyes widening in terror, “Wh-What?”

She realized what she could be implying and reached out to him, taking his hands in hers and giving him a reassuring look. “Oh, Kitty,” she said, squeezing his hands. “That’s not what I meant.”

His face relaxed and he looked down, sighing in relief. “Jeez, Ladybug, you scared me,” he said, shaking his head and closing his eyes, breathing deeply. “Please, don’t do that.”

“I’m sorry,” she said, rushing to comfort him, searching for his out of sight eyes. “I’m sorry it’s not what I meant,” she said, tugging on his arms to get him to open his eyes. When he finally did meet her eyes, she continued, “What I meant is I want us to swap kwamis for one job.”

He gave her a confused look, “Why?”

“Just to get more experience with our opposites,” she said, lying through her teeth. “Who knows when we could mix up our Miraculous again?”

He slowly let himself grin, “Well, I don’t mind seeing Lady Noire again.”

She rolled her eyes, “Whatever, alley cat, you’re still the Chat Noir I know and lo—” she coughed on something in her throat, before she rushed out her next sentence. “Know and look forward to seeing again.”

Chat, oblivious as she stumbled over her words, continued. “Admit it, Ladybug, you just want to see this purrfect body in your suit again.”

She snorted, “That sounds really dirty,” she said, laughing as his face morphed from humor, to panicked very quickly as he realized what he could’ve been implying.

“Besides,” Ladybug said, saving him from further embarrassment. “Maybe this’ll be helpful.”

 _Exactly,_ the back of her brain said, the part she didn’t trust. _You just want to see his purrfect body in your suit again._

 _Shut up!_ She told herself.

_More ways than one._

She groaned, out loud, ignoring Chat’s questioning gaze as she fought with herself to control her wander thoughts and specific things about suits and being _inside_ suits.

Oh, good Lord, she hoped this was a good idea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, assuming you all have seen the new tags...
> 
> I'm gonna just, go change the rating now.


	8. Kwami Swap

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She's a lot more flustered than she is flirty.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It is currently 1 am. 
> 
> Enjoy :)

Chapter 8: Kwami Swap

Red alert! Red alert! This is NOT a drill! Red alert! This was NOT a good idea! REPEAT! This was NOT A GOOD IDEA!!

Okay, that was an understatement.

Lemme back this up for you.

Lady Noire jumped to the side, her braid flying behind her like a snake attached to her head, making her feel all the more vulnerable than she already did. Explosions rippled around her, creating craters in the street she was on, about to be cornered when—

A string tightened behind her, and she suddenly was yanked upwards, a yo-yo string wrapped around her middle as she flew through the air. She was sling shotted in the air before starting to descend, and without the help of her yo-yo in her other suit, there was no way to save herself.

She just had to be the damn damsel in distress that a certain bugga-boy had to save.

She landed in someone’s arms, making a loud huffing noise as the wind got knocked out of her.

“My oh my, My Lady,” Mister Bug said, shaking his head at her. “We’ve got to stop meeting like this.”

RED ALERT!!

She jerked her head up, her now tinted green eyes staring up into his matching green eyes, only they looked more human than feline. His red mask glinted in the sunlight, his body suit doing the same as his armor wrapped tightly around his muscles, giving him a much _hotter_ look.

Mister Bug grinned cheekily at her, his rosy cheeks and his bright eyes a lot more evident now that he had a more human look. His Chat Noir hair was still very much there, but it was even more messed up and shaggy without his ears, making him look more adorable than hot. He had a much brighter and less dominant vibe to him now with his Chat Noir charisma was gone, and she liked it, since she was feeling a lot friskier and flirtier herself.

Or rather, more flustered.

She scrambled out of his arms, gritting her teeth and averting her eyes from him, her cheeks burning. She turned her eyes in the direction of the akuma, who could apparently blow everything up after being called a “drama queen.” Hence, her akuma name was now Drama Queen.

“I think her wrist band is the akumatised object,” she said, reaching behind her and grabbing the baton strapped at her waist. “I’ll get close enough to Cata—I mean, destroy it while you de-evilize the butterfly.”

He eyed her, while reaching for his yo-yo at his belt, spinning it next to him. “What’s up with you today?” he asked, watching as the enemy approached them. “You’re so distracted.”

She jumped to the side, just as Drama Queen threw something about to explode right where she was standing before. Once she was upright, she gave him a glare, “I am not!”

He grinned at her, his audacity of being a smartass showing, “Sure you’re not,” he said, drawing out the first word.

Frustrated, she turned to him, stomping her foot with her flushed cheeks as she glared heavily at him, not bothering with the startled look on his face.

“I am not distracted!” she shouted, squeezing her eyes shut on the last word. When she opened her eyes again, Mister Bug was flying straight at her, too quick for her to react.

She let out an inhumane noise as he crashed into her, wrapping his arms around her protectively as they fell to the ground, rolling fast and hard, their bodies knocking into one another and definitely not helping her situation.

When they stopped, she opened her eyes wide, and found him giving her a half-lidded look. His face relaxed as his hips straddled hers, his hands by her head as he gazed down at her.

“Not distracted, huh?” he asked, his voice monotone.

Lady Noire shoved him off her, twisting her body just in time to find Drama Queen barreling at them at full speed, her face sneering as she leaned down and scooped up some trash.

“Move!” she cried diving for him. She crashed into his body, sending them flying several feet backwards. She landed hard on his chest but didn’t have time to react as the bomb behind them exploded, sending a shockwave that made her tense on top of him. She used her body to shield him, taking the blunt of the heat, which didn’t hurt much, but something came flying and hit her back, making her cry out in pain.

“My Lady!” Mister Bug cried, before rolling them, laying her gently on her back as she squeezed her eyes shut in pain. “Are you okay?”

The pain was intense, but bearable as she relaxed under him, letting herself feel safe for a few seconds while he protected her with his body.

She gasped before nodding, the pain ebbing to a dull ache in the back of her neck. “Yeah,” she said, slightly opening her eyes. “I think I’m good.”

Before he could answer, they heard cackling behind them, and looked up. Drama Queen was standing just a hundred feet away, holding her fists up as she laughed like a mad woman. Her pink and light blue outfit giving off a very deadly Barbie vibe.

“Give me your Miraculous or I’ll make the entire city of Paris explode!” she shouted, raising her hand.

Lady Noire looked back up at Mister Bug, intensity in her eyes. Without even saying it, a plan formed in her head, and he seemed to catch on right away. A grin slowly made its way up his face, as he got off her and started spinning his yo-yo in front of him with a confident glint in his eyes.

“Hand them over!” Drama Queen yelled, extending her hand. “Or face my wrath!”

“Your wrath is no match against Lady Noire!” Mister Bug yelled, before looking over at her and giving her a smirk. “Show her who the really queen of destroying things is!”

She gave him a funny look, “I guess I’ll take that as a compliment?”

He gave her another half-lidded look, “You knew what I meant!”

She giggled before running at the akuma victim, jumping and dodging away from exploding objects Drama Queen randomly picked up, and threw at them. She reached for her baton and extended it towards the ground, launching herself upwards before diving into a front flip in the air. She brought down her baton hard, and managed to make Drama Queen sidestep, exactly what she wanted.

Now that she was off balance, Lady Noire jumped forward, her arm raised and she screamed, “Cataclysm!” before grabbing her arm with her nontoxic hand, then stepping to the side. She pressed her toxic hand on the ground beneath her making them both stumble as the destruction magic started to take effect. The ground jerked underneath her, and she stumbled away from the akuma victim, landing on her hands and knees. She looked up at her partner, “Mister Bug, NOW!”

“Lucky Charm!” he called, before catching a vinyl disk a second later. “What the hell am I supposed to do with this?!” he cried, looking up at her expectantly.

She didn’t have time to help him since she ducked under Drama Queen’s sharp nails trying to scratch at her before rolling to the side, using her leg to trip her. Lady Noire got to her feet but wasn’t up for long as the akuma victim snatched at her ankle, making her fall back down on her back.

“Do something Mister Bug!” she cried, before having to grab at Drama Queen’s wrists and hold her back. Her arms shook at the effort of holding back the snarling victim, her teeth baring in a very inhumane manner as she struggled to keep her at a distance. Her back was pressed against the hard cement, and her legs were pined underneath the akuma, making her helpless until Mister Bug did something.

“I don’t know what to do!” he cried, looking at her helplessly.

She looked over at him and saw the look of terror on his face, his look of absolute helplessness that he felt rolling off him like a wave of anxiety. He looked like if she didn’t do something, he was going to start panicking. She looked down at his Lucky Charm, the vinyl disk highlighted in his hand in her black and green vision. When she looked back up at Drama Queen, the very queen’s head highlighted.

She smirked.

“Chat!” she yelled, his name coming out in habit. “Mary from _It’s A Wonderful Life_!”

His realization was instantaneous. He gripped the vinyl disk harder before he took off running towards them at full speed.

“Hey! Drama Queen!” he yelled, making the akuma victim look up, her eyes widening in realization. A second later, the vinyl came full contact with her face, smashing to pieces as it hit her square in the face… or vinyl in the face.

As soon as that happened, Lady Noir rolled, grabbed her left wrist, the one with the wrist band, and pulled it off her. She then tossed it to Mister Bug, and he caught it easily, and smashed it between his fingers, and the toxic butterfly flew out of the broken object and into the air.

Mister Bug quickly de-evilzed it and sent the butterfly on its merry way, before shouting, “Miraculous Mister Bug!” and throwing one of the broken pieces of the broken record in the sky. It exploded into millions of tiny ladybugs that flew from the starting point and all around the city, fixing the damage that the akuma victim had caused.

Lady Noire looked over at Drama Queen, and watched as it morphed into a girl, maybe twelve or thirteen years old, who had mascara running down her cheeks from all the crying she obviously had done.

“What-what’s going on?” she asked, before her eyes settled on the two superheroes. “You’re-you’re not Ladybug and Chat Noir.”

“No,” Lady Noire said, crouching in front of her and giving her a warm smile. “But we are the same people, I promise. Just because we changed our masks doesn’t mean we’re not the same people underneath them.” 

The little girl sniffled and wiped at her eyes, her eyes red and watery from all the crying.

“What’s your name?” Mister Bug asked, crouching down next to Lady Noire.

She sniffed again, “Emilie.”

Mister Bug paused for a moment, his lips parting in surprise as he stared at the girl for a long moment, a look of recognition registering on his face. Finally, after a long painful moment, he smiled warmly at her before offering her his hand. Emilie hesitated for a long moment, before hesitantly placing her hand in his, where he cradled it carefully.

“Emilie,” he said, his voice soft as he gazed at the girl. “What a beautiful name.”

Emilie stilled for a moment, before smiling cheekily at him, “Thank you!”

He grinned at her, “Of course, little lady.”

She giggled again before reaching out to him, falling into his arms like a rag doll. Clearly the girl had a long day, and Mister Bug didn’t hesitate as he enveloped the girl in his arms, holding her tightly in comfort as she started crying again.

“I cry over the stupidest things, I’m too sensitive when my friends tease me, and I’m scared of everything!” she cried, gripping Mister Bug tighter, and Lady Noire could only watch in astonishment as he easily comforted the girl. “I’m such a-a drama q-queen.”

“You’re not a drama queen if something bothers you this much,” he said, leaning back and looking the girl in the eyes with a gentleness that was rare for him to show anyone else but his lady. His lady didn’t mind though, her cheeks slightly pink as she smiled at the scene, now figuring out just how good her partner is with kids.

“Don’t let them get to you, alright?” he said, smiling sweetly at her. “They aren’t friends if they make you upset like this. They aren’t friends if they tease you, they should be lifting you up, not putting you down.” He patted her on the head, making her giggle at him, before he continued. “Don’t let that dim your light.”

She smiled at him, “Thank you,” she said, and then glanced at Lady Noire and then back at Mister Bug. “Thanks, both you.”

“Emilie!”

All three turned around to see a woman with blond hair running up to them with a man close behind.

“Mom! Dad!” she cried, before leaving the superheroes in the dust and running to embrace her parents, laughing as they were reunited.

“That was sweet,” Lady Noire said, looking up at Mister Bug with a smile. “Never knew you could be so good with kids.”

He blushed, before scratching the back of his neck, such a Chat Noir thing to do that it looked foreign in his other suit. “Yeah,” he said, shrugging. “Thanks, I guess.”

He looked slightly upset, watching the girl reunited with her family with joyful smiles and cries of happiness. His smile was bittersweet, like he was looking at something he was remembering, but it was a long-gone memory, something he could no longer reach unless he trapped himself in his own mind.

“Hey,” she said, touching his arm which got his attention and he turned to her. “You okay?” she asked, rubbing his arm affectionately. “You seem distraught.”

He gave her a look of appreciation before taking her hand in his own. He brought it to his lips and carefully kissed it while holding just her fingers. She held her breath as the kiss lingered, making her skin tickle underneath the suit that once had the pressure of his lips on them. Her legs suddenly felt like jelly, and she had to resist the urge and desire to fall over, mostly on him, but fall over, nonetheless. She could feel her cheeks heating up from the contact of his lips, delicately pressing against her knuckles.

This was better than holding hands with him. If so, then she wondered what it must feel like to kiss him back.

That is, not on the hand.

He met her eyes and smiled at her, making her cheeks redden more. He suddenly leaned closer, his eyes squinting as if he was inspecting something of importance, his eyes flicking around her face like a dance on her skin.

“Your freckles are a lot more evident in this suit,” he said, leaning back and giving her a smug yet loving look. “We should do a kwami swap more often.”

Before she could respond, both of their opposing Miraculous’ beeped, giving them a three-minute warning before they would eventually change back. She found herself feeling disappointed, admitting to herself that she wanted to spend more time with him. He was good company, not to mention being in his presence made her annoyed to pieces with him, but he also knew how to make her laugh, and going back and forth with him was fun.

He was fun, she realized, and she liked how he made butterflies flap around endlessly in her stomach.

The good kind.

“Well, that’s our cue,” he said, letting go of her hand and stepping back. He saluted her while winking, “See you on the flip side, My Lady. I’ll have Tikki come find you when I’m detransformed.”

She had the ability to nod at him, “Okay, no problem.” She gave him one last smile, “And, Mister Bug?”

He stopped and turned back to her; a questioning look on his face. “Yes?”

She grinned, the blush intensifying at her next words. “Keep rocking those spots.”

He beamed at her, before giving her a final wave and disappearing into the night.

“But black will always be your color,” she said to herself, and detransformed.

She was excited to see those feline eyes again, very soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooooo i did a thing. 
> 
> if you have an instagram, go follow me @ being_happy_official 
> 
> I wanna interact with you guys!   
> But please don't spam me for updates, please and thank you :)  
> On there I will be posting teasers and updates to the stories I am writing, and hopefully future stories as well!
> 
> Can't wait to interact with you guys!  
> ~being_happy


	9. Fist Bump

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He's so confident in her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here. 
> 
> Have some angst.

Chapter 9: Fist Bump

Ladybug has always considered herself traumatized. She’s the superhero of Paris, the one that absolutely cannot take a fatal blow, everything and everyone counts on her. But that doesn’t stop her from being emotionally and physically traumatized. Of course, she’s going to have a few cuts and bruises on her body that the Miraculous cure couldn’t take away, mainly because she refuses them to be healed, because she’s too distraught to let herself be healed. She’s going to have a few things that will wake her up in the middle of the night, screaming her head off.

She’s had to stumble home, bleeding from various places and trying to hold her tears and sobs in so that her parents don’t hear her. She’s had to watch helplessly as Parisians were crushed, stabbed and paid the price so that Ladybug wouldn’t fail the entire city. But as she watched it all unfold before her, she could only put the worry and the guilt aside until she used her Miraculous cure and bring everyone back.

Even then, she didn’t feel better. She only felt worse, mostly because that person that took the blow that was meant for her, that _should’ve_ been her, had to walk out of the ashes, not remembering what had happened to them. She guessed it must’ve been for the best, if their memories were erased or their minds refused to remember such a traumatic event to keep whoever was buried that day sane.

Ladybug was the exact opposite.

Being a superhero, she had to force her mind to stay calm and unpack every detail about every situation so that she can do what’s best for Paris in the long run. Which is why she’s so traumatized by watching people die then come back to life, because she has to take the weight and pressure of bringing them back _every single time._

Never once has she failed, and she doesn’t know how she hasn’t. Being the klutz she knows she is under the mask she’s surprised how quick thinking she is and how focused and emotionless she can become in the midst of an attack.

She hates herself for it, being emotionless during a difficult akuma. It’s because she has to, or else she could be risking everything and everyone she’s ever loved.

Including her precious _Chaton._

She hated how he always willingly and without hesitation took a blow for her, like it was something she needed. He’d always said that “Paris won’t fall if I die, you’re the priority, My Lady.” And she utterly hated it and hated him for it.

Because she loved him.

And… watching someone you love get hurt, or worse, die, is… it’s not something you can just walk away from.

In fact, she didn’t.

Or rather, _he didn’t either._

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you’re flirting with me,” Chat Noir said, his classic black getup glinting in the afternoon hours, the sunset in close proximity.

Ladybug giggled next to him, both of them running full speed while the shop’s windows around them shattered to a million shards of glass.

“If I didn’t know any better,” Ladybug said, giving him a sweet smile. “I’d think you’re gonna get yourself hurt if you keep thinking like that.”

Chat smirked at her, “I like where this conversation is going.”

She laughed loudly and dodged a knife that zoomed passed their heads, clanging to the ground before shaking violently and shooting back to the akuma that they were currently running from.

“You’re gonna cut me down?!” the black and white ghost like akuma yelled, her voice shrill and full of pain as tears rolled down her cheeks endlessly. “Then I’m gonna cut down all of Paris for your mistakes, Ladybug and Chat Noir!”

“What did we do to upset her?” Chat asked sardonically.

“It’s just the akuma,” Ladybug said, looking back with sympathy in her eyes. “She doesn’t actually mean it.” She focused on him again, her face growing serious, “We’re going to use the old strategy, have you distract her while—AHH!”

She stumbled to the ground, pain flaring up in her right calf as blood began pouring down her leg. She cried out as she fell to her knees, her leg unable to hold her weight anymore.

“My Lady!” Chat cried, kneeling down next to her while putting a hand on her back. His eyes were filled with worry as he searched for what was wrong, but got confused when he didn’t see anything, “What’s—”

“My leg!” she said, sitting back and holding her injured leg while the blood gushed from her wound. She scrunched up her face in agony, sweat beating on her forehead as she whimpered. “Ow, _shit,_ Chat—” she looked up at him, panic in her eyes as they made eye contact. “I’m not sure I’m gonna be able to walk.”

He kneeled in front of her, grabbing her shoulders and locked eyes with her. “Ladybug, I need you to breath, okay?”

“I can’t—”

“Yes, you can,” he said, with such certainty she had to believe it. “Deep breaths, it’s just pain, My Lady.” He glanced down at it, “It’s not even that bad.” He reached behind him and unbuckled his tail from his waist and wrapped it around her thigh. Then, he took his baton and slipped it under the straps and tightened it around her thigh.

He looked up at her, “This is gonna hurt, a lot. But you’re starting to bleed a lot and we need to stop it,” he said, giving her an apologetic look. He then twisted the baton, twisting the leather tail with it which immediately tightened around her thigh and she flinched.

“Ow,” she said, grabbing his shoulders. “Chat, that’s tight.”

“Hold on,” he said, before twisting it again, which made her cry out.

“Chat! _Shit!”_ she panted, “Please, stop!”

“It’s okay,” he said, holding the baton in place before looking back up at her. “I’m done.”

She whimpered before resting her forehead against his shoulder, her breathing starting to calm down again. “Can we loosen it?”

He shook his head, “We shouldn’t,” he said, before looking down at her leg. “The bleeding stopped and that means it’s working.”

“We can’t just sit here,” she said, leaning back to look at him. “The akuma is still out there, and if I can’t walk—”

“Just give me your Miraculous,” he said, his eyes darting to her earrings. “I’ll go take care of it.”

“No,” she said immediately. “No, you’re not going out there alone.”

“We don’t have very many options here,” he said, brushing the bangs out of her face. His face was unnaturally close to hers, so close she could feel his breath bouncing off her skin. “I can manage one time alone, you can’t walk, My Lady.”

“You don’t even know where she is,” she said, trying to convince him out of leaving. “How are you going to find her?”

“I’ll figure something out,” he said, still touching her face. “But right now, I need to know that you’re safe.”

“I will be when this is over,” she argued, getting fed up at this point. “You cannot leave me out in the open like this.”

“I won’t,” he said gently. Chat Noir and his stupid gentleness. “I’ll find somewhere safe for you to hide and rest while I head out there as Mister Bug.” He smiled at her, “The Miraculous cure will heal you right up, and then you’ll be able to walk again.”

“Chat—”

“No more arguing, My Lady,” he said, his tone gentle. “I need to know you’re safe.” He went to lift her in his arms, but she reeled back and pushed him away. He looked at her quizzically, “My Lady?”

“Stop doing that!” she cried, her anger coming out. “Stop putting yourself in harms way just because of me!”

The look of surprise on his face was evident, but it quickly vanished to understanding then slight irritation. “What else am I supposed to do? Leave you here in the middle of the street at the akuma’s mercy? Take you with me with your injured leg while we face the akuma? Ladybug, I’m not going to risk you like that.”

“And you think I’m going to let you risk your own life without me having your back?!” she yelled, her voice shaking from the effort of holding back a wave of emotions. “You need to listen to your brain and let me help you! You can’t go out there alone!”

“Watch me!” he cried, before standing up and lifting her with him, holding her by the waist as she balanced on one leg.

“Chat Noir,” she said, her voice angry as she threw a livid look at him. “Let me go.”

“Great idea,” he said sarcastically, “Let you run into danger with an injured leg,” he shook his head, “I don’t think so.”

“I swear to God,” she said, trying to scramble out of his arms, but he held firm. “Chat, if you don’t let me go right this second, I’m gonna—”

“What are you gonna do?” he asked, catching her off guard. “I’m not letting you run off with an injured leg, Ladybug. That’s suicide.”

“And what do you think going out there alone is?!” she cried, not holding back the tremor or the anguish in her voice.

Chat stilled, looking down at her with both curiosity and concern in his arms as she sobbed once and pointed an accusatory finger at him.

“Chat Noir, you always put the wrong foot forward when it comes to me!” she yelled, her voice tight with emotion. “Always jumping in front of attacks, taking the blows and hits that leave you crippled and leave me having to carry the burden alone!” She sobbed, pounding on his chest, “The number of times I’ve had to drag you to a safe place, watch as you struggled to stay conscious in front of me—I can’t take it anymore!” she screamed, grabbing his collar and pulling herself closer to his face. “Stop sacrificing yourself for me! _Please_! _I can’t stand to lose you_!” She dove her face into his chest, and immediately started crying, her sobs coming out in heavy waves of horrible cries. “I can’t lose you, Chat Noir,” she said, quietly. “Don’t you _dare_ make me think I lost you.”

Chat had gone rigid in her hold, before he melted against her, his arms coming around her like a protective shield, only making her cry harder.

“My Lady—”

_Shing!_

Everything stopped.

At first, she thought she imagined it.

But.

But then—

“Chat.”

Nothing.

“Chat. Wake up.”

“Chat! No, no, no, no, NO! This can’t be happening!”

“Please! Chat, you have to wake up!”

_Why were his eyes still? Why wasn’t he moving?_

He jerked, coughing as blood stained his lips, his eyes glassy as he looked up at her, lying on his back with a large blade sticking out of his chest.

_Had he shoved her away? Did he take yet another blow for her? That brainless, stupid cat._

“My Lady,” he rasped, his eyes meeting hers. “Go. You need to stop that akuma.”

Her hand was rigid, gripping his hard as if she let go, he would slip away.

“I’m not leaving you.”

“You have to.”

“No, I’m not, there has to be a way around this. I-I can’t do—”

“Ladybug—”

“I can’t do this without you!” she cried, tears falling down her cheeks. “Chat Noir, don’t you dare leave me!”

“I won’t be gone for long,” he said, smiling up at her as the blood stained the corners of his lips. “Use the Miraculous cure, but only after you stopped the akuma.”

“I—I no!” she cried, giving him a helpless look while contorting her face as the tears washed over her. “Chat, please, please stay.”

He smiled at her, “I’ll come back.”

“No,” she said, shaking her head. “I can’t do this without you.”

“I believe in you,” he said, his confidence in her never wavering. “You’re gonna fix this. Like you always do.”

“But not without you,” she said, her voice tight. “Please, _please,_ I’m begging you, Chat.”

“I know,” he said, reaching up to stroke her face. “I know. But I’m only gonna be gone for a little bit, okay? I’ll come right back.”

She shook her head, “I _hate_ you.” She spat all the distaste through her words, hoping he’ll catch on to what she’s actually saying.

He smiled at her, “I love you.” He raised his fist at her, and she stared at it for a long moment before meeting his eyes.

They stared at each other for what seemed like forever.

“Pound it.”

But forever could only last so long.

Blades clattered around her, and she jumped to her feet, stumbling on her injured leg before looking down helplessly at Chat. She hoped she could find some refuge in his eyes, like she usually did in his presence. She was confident he would give her a smile that would make her feel like she could do this alone for the first time in years.

But when she looked down, expecting to find his eyes, they were merely glass orbs, staring into nothing.

That’s when she ran.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next few chapters are sad, but get geared up for some fluff in ch. 12 (aka "Falling" chapter)


	10. Breakdown

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She's so sick of illusions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More angst for yall!
> 
> I promise, the fluff is coming and it's gonna be GOOD.

Chapter 10: Breakdown

Something changed in Ladybug that day. She doesn’t know exactly when or what she had to do to go back to how it used to be, but all she knew was more pain than she’s ever felt before.

Something inside her broke while she ran with an injured leg after the akuma, flying through the streets at top speeds while she sobbed, furiously wiping away tears. Everything was screaming at her, the civilians below cheering her on, the car alarms that broke the silence in her head, the blades slashing through the air, barely missing her. By mere inches she escaped death, but death seemed to already have a toll on her.

Who knew death could be so painful when you aren’t the one dying?

She guessed that’s how it goes most of the time, but it still didn’t hurt any less. It didn’t numb the pain or sooth the anguish that screamed in her heart.

She couldn’t even describe to you how much her chest weighed at the moment, all of it coming crashing down on her in one single, very painful moment. Like a shard of glass piercing through the heart.

She knew this job was dangerous, knew one of them was going to take a hit they weren’t gonna be able to walk away from. She had prepared herself for it, prepared her own body to take the pain that was going to be her momentary death. She had accepted that she was going to be the one to take the blow, to take it for him for once, but not to her surprise, her Kitty never backed down when I came to her.

She had prepared for it all, even prepared to watch him struggle to stay alive.

But… when that moment finally came, bleeding out right in front of her as the pool of blood consumed the pavement around them, she realized she would never be ready. She would never be ready to watch her Kitty die in front of her eyes; she would never be ready to take the guilt that weighed on her chest. She would never be ready to watch the light fade from his eyes, and she would never, ever be ready to let him go so easily.

Which is why she fought, and she fought _hard._

She wrapped her yo-yo around a chimney and sling shotted herself forward, using her momentum to launch her tiny body into the air. She shot through the air like a flying baseball just falling into a homerun, the wind whipping at her face.

She could see the akuma, jumping from rooftop to rooftop with that devilish grin on its face.

She had to remind herself not to kill her.

 _He’s coming back,_ she reminded herself, trying to keep her cool. _He wouldn’t want someone’s blood on your hands. Killing her won’t bring him back, rescuing her will._

This is what made her run faster after the akuma, forgetting her name entirely and not caring one bit. She was the one with the knives, threatening to cut people down the same way she did to her Kitty, to kill and take away someone else important to her. Someone who lived in her city.

She glowered at the running figure; she was going to kill Hawkmoth one day.

 _My Lady,_ his voice spoke, like a phantom with a gentle whisper that tickled the back of her neck. _I don’t want you to kill anyone._

Maybe it was the pain, or the terrible ache she felt as she tried not to think about him lying on the ground while coughing up blood. Forcing himself to fight against an injury that was meant for her, an injury she had to save him from. An injury he’s already succumbed to.

Maybe it was everything going on right in front of her that she started hearing his voice everywhere, watching her very reality shatter at his will as he spoke to her through the wind. But as soon as she heard his beautiful, melodic voice, she immediately gave into the illusion, and pretended he was actually there.

“But he killed you!” she cried back, feeling the tears stream her face again. “I-I can’t let him hurt anyone else!”

 _I know, love,_ he said, his voice still gentle. _But killing someone will never get you what you and I have always fought for. Justice._

“I won’t be able to live with myself if I can’t—” she sobbed, stopping herself from running to catch her breath, watching the tears fall to the ground next to her feet. “If I can’t save you.”

 _Then save me,_ he said, no pressure in his voice, no urge or desperation, but a calm, patient hum that made her feel a little better. _Bring me back, so I can tell you I love you._

“I already know you love me,” she said back, her voice broken as she keeled over herself, holding her spasming stomach from all the sobbing.

 _No, you don’t,_ the voice said. _You think you’re so unworthy of love, My Lady. You think that you have to earn my love when really, I’ve already given it to you. You don’t believe I love you. So, bring me back, and I will never stop telling you._

“Please,” she begged, feeling everything coming crashing down on her. “ _Please,_ come back to me.”

_Say it, love._

“… please.”

_Be honest with yourself._

She couldn’t. She couldn’t admit it now, it would be too painful. If he’s truly gone, and she failed to bring him back, she would have to live with knowing it herself. She would’ve never told him; he would never know how much she truly… truly…

“I can’t!” she cried, falling to her knees and covering her face with her hands. She sobbed horribly into them, “What if you don’t come back?!”

 _Of course, I’ll come back, My Lady,_ he said, his voice hiding a fond smile. _I would never leave you behind._

“Then why did you?!” she cried, still not looking up.

 _Because I knew you would bring me back,_ he said, his voice gentle. _I have faith in you, love._

“What if I fail?!” she cried, keeling over more, the pain so unbearable she felt as if she might throw up. She felt nauseous and dizzy, like she might pass out from how much pain her heart was bearing at the moment. “What if you never come back?!”

 _Then, I’ll be in your heart forever,_ he said, a phantom hand landing on her shoulder. _But only if you admit it._

She shook her head, sobbing. “I c-can’t.”

 _Admit it, My Lady,_ he prodded gently. _Before it’s too late._

“If I do, I could lose you forever!” she shouted, holding the sides of her head like she might go insane. She felt like she was, having someone whisper into her ear nonstop while she realized her one and only was dead somewhere in the streets of Paris. “You won’t hear it, Chat! You won’t hear how much I—” she stopped, keeling over herself again and sobbing.

 _Why’d you stop?_ He asked curiously. He had a smile on his face. _You were so close._

She shook her head, “I can’t.”

 _Maybe if you scream it loud enough, I’ll hear you,_ he said, _I mean, I hear you right now, what’s the difference?_

“You’re not real,” she said quietly, forcing down her sobbing. “You won’t hear me!”

 _I think I will,_ he said. _Scream it for me, My Lady._

“No,” she shook her head violently. “No, I can’t.”

 _You can’t resist it,_ his voice was right besides her ear. _You know it’s already consuming you. You won’t be able to hold back for long._ He paused, _My Lady, it’s okay, I’ll be gentle with your heart._

“Stop it!” she screamed, her whole-body trembling. If he kept pushing her like this than she was going to admit it, and admitting it was going to be painful.

She can’t lose him. She can’t lose him. _She can’t lose him._

 _Admit the truth,_ a hand landed on her shoulder.

Startled, she looked up and found her favorite pair of feline green eyes staring into her blue bell eyes. He smiled gently at her, leaning closer as if he were staring into her very soul. He seemed to pick apart every single part of her from the inside out, her emotions being laid out in front of him on a table. He picked and prodded around until he found what he was looking for, and gently grasped onto it.

“You love me,” he said, his voice so real, so fake, so there, so gone. “Don’t you?”

She could only stare. _Was this real?_

“Chat.”

_Say it, My Lady._

She squeezed her eyes shut, “I love you.”

He didn’t answer.

“I love you!” she cried, looking up but he was gone. She didn’t stop though, she got to her feet and cried out to the entire city of Paris, screaming three words and a name on her lips. Feeling the tears fall down her cheeks and onto the ground, crying out desperately for him every time a tear drop hit the ground.

She screamed herself hoarse for what seemed like hours, but really it was a couple of minutes, until she couldn’t use her voice any longer, her throat too cut up and raw from her bloodcurdling confession.

“I love you!” she screamed, one last time. “I love you, Chat Noir!”

. . .

Chat Noir has never seen heaven. He’s imagined it many times, golden gates in front of him, opening while angels sang for his arrival home. Walking forward and seeing his mother standing there with open arms. It seemed blissful, but when he spotted no love of his life, he immediately wanted to go back down to earth.

And went he did.

It came over him like a tidal wave, a race of adrenaline causing him to gasp and jerk forward, his body feeling mended and whole as he stared up into the evening sky, slowly turning golden from the later hours. He watched at the ladybugs around him went to fix up the rest of the city, him being part of it to be fixed.

He could tell there was something wrong the minute he woke up, his lady was no where insight, and that worried him since he couldn’t be by her side.

He doesn’t remember much from the moment he died, only remembering saying three particular words, an angry, emotional Ladybug screaming at him to wake up, and then… nothing. He doesn’t know what this could mean for them, or for what they could end up being, but all he knew was that what he said was the truth. And all he wanted was for her to understand just how true his truth about her, is real.

He was scared for her, and soon enough he used his baton to extend himself over the city, running on the rooftops at full speeds.

He found her soon enough, and the sight broke his now beating heart.

She was on her knees, her body spasming from the sobs her body kept creating while covering her face with her hands. She was in the middle of a street, her Miraculous beeping wildly indicating that she was going to change back soon.

He jumped off the building he was on and ran to her, collapsing on his knees in front of her, but still not daring to touch her.

“My Lady?” he asked quietly.

Her head jerked up and her eyes went wide in shock. “N-No,” she said, shaking her head before her face contorted horribly. “I said to stop following me, Chat!”

He was confused by this, furrowing his eyebrows as he leaned closer to her, “What?”

“Get out of my head!” she suddenly cried, making him lean back in surprise. “You-You’re just an illusion!” She sobbed horribly, “It’s… it’s all in my head!”

If Chat knew anything about himself, it was that he was not an illusion, but his lady somehow believed him so. He didn’t understand why, only that she was in an unmatchable amount of pain, most likely caused by his death, and he needed to reassure her that he was alive and real.

He scooted closer, “My Lady?” he said, hesitantly. “It’s me, Chat—”

“I said get away!’ she tried to swat at him, but he easily dodged, landing on her arm she used to try and hit him with. She sobbed again, her eyes still squeezed shut even as she stilled on all fours, her stomach jerking from all the sobs raking her body.

“Hey,” he said as gently as he could. “It’s me, I’m real.”

“You’re not,” she said, more quietly, “You’re dead. He’s dead, he’s—” she stopped, her mouth twitching as she realized something. “He’s gone.”

“I’m not,” he said, daring to move closer to her. “I’m alive.”

“Stop lying to me!” she cried out, leaning back on her ankles and covering her face again with her hands.

“I’m not lying to you,” he said, before reaching out to her. “I’m right here, My Lady.” He tilted his head at her, trying for a gentle smile, “Can you open you eyes for me?”

She whimpered, “You’re not going to be there.”

“I’m not leaving you,” he said, before taking her hands in his. He felt her relax a little at his touch, and he took that as a good thing before reaching up and cupping her cheek, and she leaned into him. “I’ll stay right here, My Lady, but—” he watched as one of her dots disappeared, she only had two minutes left. “You’re running out of time.”

She shook her head, bowing it at the same time. “I can’t do this. I can’t face your death.”

“Lucky I’m not dead then,” he said, no humor in his voice. “Open your eyes, My Lady.”

“I…” she trailed off, her face contorting again and she sobbed. “I can’t!” she cried out, “Chat! Please, help me!”

He shushed her, before bringing her in his arms. “I’ve got you,” he said, rocking her back and forth. “I’ve got you.”

He stroked her hair carefully, breathing in her sweet scent as he let her cry against him, wanting nothing more than for her to open her eyes and realize that he was there. There was no way he was leaving her, not after daring to die and come back to life. He hated himself for doing that to her, knowing she was sensitive about being left alone to carry this job by herself. She’s always said she appreciated him more than he knew, and maybe he was finally understanding this now, because the mere thought of him being dead, has ridden her to tears.

He didn’t mean to hurt her, but the superhero job is painful and hard to swallow sometimes. They were going to have to make some sacrifices that meant one of them gets hurt, and sometimes that injury is really, really bad.

Which is why he made a commitment to himself. He was going to keep Ladybug alive if it was the last thing he did. The world doesn’t end if he dies, it still goes on, and Ladybug could always choose another Miraculous holder. But if Ladybug died… he would never forgive himself. She was the best and most capable Miraculous holder there ever was, and the fact that she was the one entrusted with the ladybug Miraculous was purely amazing.

She needed to stay alive, so that she can bring everyone back.

And she did! He was so proud of her, and he loved her for how strong she was.

But she still believed she failed at bringing him back. And apparently his death is earth shattering to her. He would be lying if he said it didn’t warm his heart that at least someone would miss him if he was gone, considering how lonely and cold his civilian life was.

But he wasn’t gone, and she still believed he was.

He had to bring her back from a different kind of death this time.

She believed he was gone, so he was going to do anything in his power to convince her, he wasn’t.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you haven't already, go ahead and follow me on instagram if you want!
> 
> @being_happy_official
> 
> looking forward to interacting with all yall!!


	11. Comfort

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ladybug is panicking, Chat needs to calm her down, she's running out of time, what are they gonna do?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chat is such a cinnamon roll, i love him.

Chapter 11: Comfort

One of the many stages of grief is panic. Wandering around aimlessly and wondering where did this person or thing go? Why haven’t they returned yet? Panic can make you do many things, such as cry or scream or run. Panic and sadness combined together is a dangerous combination, considering the mental state you are in, it seems almost impossible to be two at the same time.

Well, Ladybug is about to prove that wrong.

She was in a state of panic at this point, too terrified to open her eyes even just a sliver, terrified to see open air with no on there. She had hallucinated earlier that he was speaking to her, his voice echoing around her mind like a soft, gentle whisper. Encouraging her to do the thing she absolutely believed she couldn’t do, and that was to save the world yet again, without him.

Her fingers clawed at the cement, her strangled breathing coming out in painful puffs of air as she struggled to hold onto reality. Her body was rigid and shaking uncontrollably as she fought to open her eyes, to just get the pain over with already, then maybe, _maybe,_ she’d be okay.

But at the same time, she wanted to keep believing, to keep believing that he was still alive, that he was right in front of her, calling out her name, begging her to look at him. She wanted to keep believing, for as long as she could, until her brain went haywire and gave up on reality. She would live with his ghost tied to her heart for the rest of her life, and pretend that he was still there, pretend that he still lived on.

She so wanted him back, she so desperately _needed_ him back, and accepting that he was dead was out of the question.

But she could still hear his voice, still hear the melodic sound of his low, comforting voice that called out to her, as if he were right in front of her. It was like a low rumble, something that touched her heart and made her want to look into those beautiful eyes. Fight through the darkness and _see_ him.

But… but he can’t be alive. She saw him die, he can’t… he… he can’t be… right?

She admitted it, maybe that’s why she wasn’t accepting it. Because now that the words were out there, now that the confession and the reality was… well, real, he has to be alive. She can’t live on without him knowing that she loves him, knowing she never told him, knowing that he died without ever fully experiencing what her words felt like.

He can’t die without knowing what her skin feels like, he can’t without her not knowing what his does either. She’s never felt more than his hands and his face, but she wanted to feel more, she wanted to know what it felt like to touch the very thing that keeps him together. That holds this beautiful person, this gorgeous soul that God almighty has blessed her with.

He can’t die not knowing what her lips feel like, he can’t die without her not knowing what his felt like either. She wants to explore those perfect lips, feel them as they moved in sync with hers, feel them gently move down to kiss her jawline, then her neck. She wants to know how he explains his love for her through actions, she wants him to spell it out for her. She wants to draw out her name through his lips between kisses, breathlessly consumed by the way his hands explored her body.

She wanted him to give her a rose every Sunday, hold her hand during lazy patrols, and kiss her in the middle of saying something. She wanted him to be the one she explored all these beautiful impossibilities that somehow seem very possible now, and she wanted him to be the one and only.

They were two halves of a whole, yin and yang, black and white, contrasting and complimenting, creation and destruction. She can’t lose her other half; she’ll be lost forever without it.

She… she can’t lose her heart.

Not with him living in it now.

. . .

She had two minutes, that’s all she understood, but does it matter? Chat Noir was gone, who cares if the whole world sees who she is, who cares if people laugh and judge her for it? She certainly doesn’t, he was gone, her other half was _gone_.

“Ladybug listen to me,” the voice never stopped, even when she refused to look at him. “You only have two minutes before you transform back. You can’t risk your identity in the middle of the street.”

“He’s dead,” she said, trembling. “He’s… he’s gone, nothing matters anymore.”

“I’m not dead!” the voice exclaimed, making her flinch away from it. “I’m sorry,” he said, his voice gentler now. “Please, Ladybug, you need to come back.”

She shook her head, “It’s not real, it’s not real.”

“I’m real.”

“No, you’re not.”

“I am,” he said, his voice still gentle. “Come back, it’s okay.”

“No, it’s not!” she cried, holding her head in her hands as she rocked back and forth, feeling herself slowly losing her mind. She could feel herself slipping, like being on a wet slide in the park, you know you’re going to fall, but you refuse to come back down. “It’s not okay cause you’re dead!” she cried, sobbing horribly. “Just leave me alone,” she said in a quieter voice.

“I’m not leaving you like this,” he said, his breath bouncing off her hair as he leaned closer. Can ghosts do that? “I’m staying right here until you see me.”

She shook her head, hearing her earrings beep again. One minute.

“Please,” she begged, her voice fragile and shaky. “Please, just save me.”

“Let me save you,” he said. “What do you need? I’ll do anything.”

“I need to know you’re real,” she said, still sobbing. “Please, prove to me you’re real.”

She still couldn’t see him, since her eyes were glued shut, but she could hear him, hear him as he shuffled closer, as he reached out to her in a steady, careful moment. She waited, expecting there to be absolutely nothing, expecting it to be a ghost touch, a shiver down her spine as the truth was forced upon her. She won’t be able to take it, take the weight of him being gone, of him never returning. But… at least she’ll know, at least she’ll get it over with—the pain, the grief, the panic. Everything.

What she hadn’t expected was to feel a hand push back her bangs on her forehead, and she completely stilled. She felt the gentle caress of his gloved hand, brushing his fingers through her silky hair as her hair fell out of the ribbons into a long, dark curtain. Then, he pushed back against the bangs again, exposing her forehead, then out of the blue, his lips pressed against the skin right above the center of her eyebrows.

“Open your eyes for me, My Lady.”

She did, and when she did, everything was blurry at first, due to the tears filling her eyes and for squeezing them so tight for so long. The light invaded her eyes madly, blinding her for a couple of seconds before things started to focus again.

And once it did, she stared into the warmest, most gentle eyes she has ever come across, tinted green from his powers, and carefully watching her reaction. His black cat ears were drooped backwards in concern, and his lips were turned down as he watched her, not making any sudden movements as she realized that…

She reached out, and her fingertips touched his lips, the soft skin making her inhale lightly. He didn’t move as she traced his lips, so gentle with her touch in case she damaged those beautiful lips. She studied every centimeter of them, before moving to his cheek and tracing a line to his jaw and then down it to his chin. He closed his eyes at the touch, not daring to move in case he scared her from any sudden movements. When she reached the tip of his chin, she drew her hand back and met his eyes as he opened them again, not believing it.

“Chat?”

. . .

Her earrings beeped a final time, giving a five second warning.

“Chat—”

“I’ve got you.”

Chat grabbed her around the waist and ran at full speed to the side of the road, before ducking into an alley and then pressing his lady against the wall, and shutting his eyes tight.

He saw the pink flash from behind his eyelids but didn’t dare open his eyes as Ladybug detransformed in front of him. He felt her breathing against him, tucked against his chest for safety and comfort reasons.

She shifted, “Chat…”

“I’m not looking,” he confirmed, hearing the anxiety in her voice.

She seemed to relax in his hold, and he also gave a sigh of relief. He was so scared for a moment that she wasn’t going to believe he was alive, that he was right there in front of her, if only she’d open her eyes. But she did, and it took some physical touch, but Chat didn’t mind that one bit, he loved it when she touched him, and he was willing to do and let her do anything to bring her back. Back to him.

She suddenly jerked against him, and he titled his head down in concern for her. Her stomach spasmed against him, and then he heard the whimper sounds of crying coming from the detransformed Ladybug.

“My Lady…” he said, reaching out and touching her elbow. “Why are you crying?”

“I thought, I thought,” she said, falling into another wave of sobbing. Her whimpers became muffled, and he assumed she had covered her face again, and he reached out to pry her hands off, taking them away from her face gently.

“I thought you were gone,” she said, wrapping herself with her arms as she shook against him. “I… I watched you die, Chat!” she cried, before pounding her fists on his chest, “Why would you _do_ that to me?!”

“Because it’s either you or me, My Lady,” he said gently. “I choose you.”

“Stop taking blows for me!” she yelled, startling him. “I can’t stand it if—if you—”

“But I didn’t,” he said, reaching up and cupping her face. She stilled at his touch, “I came back, like I promised. My Lady, I would never promise something I couldn’t keep.”

“Then promise me this,” she said, her voice tight. “Don’t you _dare_ die on me.”

He shook his head, “I can’t promise that.”

She huffed, knowing it’s true.

He didn’t know what to say.

“Is Tikki there?” he finally questioned.

“I’m here,” a high-pitched voice chirped next to his head.

He turned back to Ladybug, “Do you have any food on you?”

She felt her reach next to her, shuffling around in what she assumed was a purse (his lady carried a purse, how cute!) until she snapped it closed and handed it to Tikki, who started munching on it.

They stood in awkward silence, except for Tikki’s eating that filled the air, and Chat refused to back off of Ladybug. He could tell she was angry at him, but he supposed that was fine, he got livid at her when she took unnecessary risks, it was only fair. But he could also feel the way she relaxed under him, like his touch and his close proximity was comforting to her, so he stayed close. He liked the way she leaned into him, her forehead occasionally brushing his chin and her hands grazing his while she pondered taking his hand or not.

He made the decision for her and took her hand, holding it tightly in between his fingers before momentarily letting go only to lace them together. He squeezed her hand and ran his thumb over the skin of her hand, rubbing small circles in comfort. She squeezed his hand back then he felt her rest her head against his chest, and he nuzzled against her, holding back the purr that wanted to escape his throat.

Finally, Ladybug called out to Tikki and she transformed back in a pink flash. When the flash disappeared, he opened his eyes and stared down at her puffy eyes and her red nose. She sniffled before wiping her nose with her free hand, avoiding his gaze. He tried not to swoon at the sight, imagining a Ladybug who showed up to fight an akuma with a cold and her plugged nose making her voice sound all weird. She looked so adorable with her pouty lip and her red eyes and nose, that he had to at least smile, watching as the girl in front of him both refused to push him off her and glowering at his smile.

“Why are you smiling?” she finally questioned, her voice cracked from all the crying.

He smiled sweetly at her, “Because I’m imagining how adorable you would look with a cold.”

She gave him a disgusted look, “Gross, Chat.”

He chuckled, “Ah, c’mon,” he said, squeezing her hand and searching for her gaze again. “With your cracked voice and your attitude even sassier than usually.” He did a chief’s kiss in the air, which made her smile a little bit. “Perfect combination, My Lady.”

She shook her head, obviously trying to hold back the smile that was creeping up her face, slowly, but surely.

He gave her a more serious look, but it was gentle at the same time. “You feeling better?”

She glanced at him before breathing deeply and nodding. “Yeah,” she said, her voice slightly shaky. “Yeah, I think I’m okay,” she gave him a sideways look, “Thanks to you.”

He beamed, “It was my pleasure, My Lady,” he said, stepping back and bowing. He straightened and gave her a confident smile, “I’ll see you next time, okay?” He was about to turn but she grabbed his arm, stopping him and turning around to give her a curious look.

“Wait,” she said, her voice pleading. Her cheeks turned rosy all of a sudden as she glanced to the side, embarrassment in her eyes. “I…”

He stepped towards her again, concerned. “What is it?”

She met his eyes and her cheeks flushed even more, making him confused.

“I… don’t want you to go yet,” she said, looking away.

He reached down and took her hand in his, the one that had reached out and grabbed him. “I can stay as long as you wish, Bugaboo.”

She smiled fondly at the nickname, and he beamed with pride for making her smile again.

“Can we…” she looked around, eyeing the dirty alleyway they were in. “Can we go somewhere else?”

He nodded, “Of course, where would you like to go?”

She shrugged, “I don’t know, know of any places we can enjoy the sunset together?”

_Together._

A place came to mind, and Chat smirked.

Ladybug raised an eyebrow, “I know that look.”

He tugged her back outside the alleyway, “C’mon, you’ll love it.”

She rolled her eyes, “I guess I have to trust you.”

He stared at her for a second before pulling her towards him, and in a swift moment, he pressed a gentle kiss to her temple, making her gasp.

“Don’t worry,” he said, walking backwards while pulling her with him. “It’s a _sandtastic_ place.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys enjoy! Gear up for the next chapter, aka "Falling" and I am so excited to show you what i have planned!!!
> 
> Insta: being_happy_official


	12. Falling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Falling is strange.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is what you all have been waiting for!

Chapter 12: Falling

Maybe it was the way the sun hit the water, casting a golden glow that illuminated their bodies. The sand crunching underneath their boots as they walked forward, hand in hand, and staring at the sunset. It was late afternoon, so the sun was getting ready to dip behind the horizon and cast a dark background so the other stars in the sky get a chance to shine.

She felt that could be a metaphor, millions of stars coming out when the sun disappeared. Or rather, a million more possibilities coming to light when she let the big thing blocking the possibilities rest. A thousand spotlights that shone bright in her dark sky, opening up pathways she never thought possible. Creating a pathway from impossible to possible and letting the warm feeling consume her chest, almost bursting with joy when she looked up at him.

Maybe that’s why she let him tug her further down to the shore, watching the waves roll up in white sheets of clear water before pulling back and creating a smooth surface of sand.

His hands were significantly larger than hers, making her feel dwarfed next to him, not to mention his height completely outmatching hers. His demeanor was bubbling with warmth, and she couldn’t help the content little smiles she felt tugging on the corners of her mouth. He never let go of her hand, only stopping right in front of the wet sand and staring out at the sunset, gripping her harder like she might let go of him.

She wasn’t going to, because of the way his hand fit perfectly in hers, completely covering it, it felt nice, and she preferred to stay this way for as long as she could.

“A beach?” she finally questioned, looking up at him.

Chat met her eyes immediately and smiled, “Only the best for you.”

She smiled as the wind made his ears shift, his hair flapping back and exposing his forehead. “Well,” she said, turning her eyes back on the sunset with slightly redder cheeks. “I guess I should only expect the best from here on out.”

He grinned next to her, squeezing her hand before letting go and stepping in front of her. She immediately missed the contact and watched him as he stepped into the waves, the water covering his ankles.

“Come in with me,” he said, gesturing her forward.

Her jaw went slack, “You can’t be serious.”

“And what if I am?”

“Then you’re insane,” she retorted, crossing her arms at her chest. She tensed her shoulders upwards, glancing at the water warily. “It’s going to be freezing.”

“I don’t feel it,” she said, looking down and lifting a foot out of the water for show. He looked back up at her, “Guess it’s the suits.”

“That’s another thing,” she said, her voice becoming defensive. “We can’t go swimming in our suits. And besides,” she eyed him carefully, “Don’t cats hate water?”

“You forget that I’m human,” he said, gesturing at himself while his smile never wavered. “And this human loves swimming.” He took a step forward while she took a step back, and he smiled at her hesitance.

She snorted, shaking her head while raising a finger. “You’re not going to get me in there.”

He grinned, “I think I will.”

“You can’t make me,” she said, raising her chin higher to seem intimidating. “We both know I’m faster than you.”

He chuckled, eyeing her, “Whatever you say, Bugaboo.”

The corner of her mouth twitched as she suppressed a smile, looking to the side. She didn’t want to look at his stupid face at the moment, the way the sun made it look like he had a halo on his head, as if he were a Godsend. Or how his eyes seemed to hold a more mischievous look than usual, screaming dangerous things at her that she _absolutely_ did not want to try. Yeah, she _so_ didn’t like it _at all._

He smiled at her, and there it was again, the glint in his eyes that made her heart jump in her chest excitedly.

Oh boy, she’s got it bad.

“C’mon!” he whined, stepping forward and catching her gaze. “It’s not cold, and you won’t even feel it.”

“No,” she said defiantly, stepping back to avoid his outstretched arms, no matter how much she wanted to let him embrace her in a warm hug. “Chat, I don’t want to go in.”

“C’mon,” he said, outstretching one hand to her, willing her to take it. “Just follow me in.”

She eyed his hand, pressing her lips together as she glanced back up at him, finding his eyes gazing at her tenderly. His posture faced off to the side, while his other hand hung next to him as he tried to reach her. His face beamed at her, making a tempting case as she stared into those green eyes that seemed so animal like yet the most human, she’s ever seen.

Chat Noir has always had this vibe about him, at first, she thought it was just him being a flirty go getter that wanted nothing more than for her to reciprocate the flirting, to make it a game. But as she got to know him, as she slowly let him in and let him see just how imperfect she is over the years, she’s learned that Chat Noir… was nothing like what she thought.

He was kind, patient and gentle with her, which she guessed was a few reasons why she trusted him so much. That and how he always seemed to know what the right thing to say was, even in the midst of battle, he always seemed to comfort her, and not just with words.

Yes, Chat had a way with poetry, she had to admit, but it wasn’t just the words that made her feel safe a secure around him. It was the way he protected her so often, even when they got their first wave of bad press a few years ago, he seemed to know how to calm the angry people down, enough to shoo her away from the dangerous mob. It was the way he smiled at her with so much confidence that made her feel just as confident as his infamous smirk did. It was the way he would touch her after a difficult akuma, offering a gentle touch when things got hard, and not pressuring her or forcing himself on her.

Chat Noir was gentle, and the look that he was giving her now, just proved it.

But she didn’t want to give into it. Not yet at least.

She stepped back, smiling at him lightly. “No,” was all she could say, shaking her head. “You’re insane,” she repeated, watching him as he dropped his extended hand back to his side.

“So, I’ve been told,” he said, smiling gently at her. He took a step forward, “C’mon, it’ll be fun!”

“I doubt it,” she said, eyeing the water warily. “It’s going to be freezing!”

“Ah, lucky for you, you have a portable heating system,” he proceeded to gesture at his chest, and she scoffed at him.

“Oh, I see what you’re doing here,” she said, smirking as she crossed her arms again. “You just want to hold me, don’t you?”

“Hey,” he said, pointing at her while cocking an eyebrow. “Let’s not forget who didn’t want me to leave.”

She pressed her lips together before flicking them outwards, shaking her head, “I’m not going in there.”

He sighed, “Well, alright then.” He suddenly approached her, before dropping low enough that his shoulder pressed against her stomach, and she shrieked as he hoisted her onto his shoulder.

“Chat!” she shrieked, struggling in his grip. “What is this?!”

“Drastic measures.”

“Put me down,” she demanded, slapping his back. She looked down and watched as the waves cascaded over his ankles, only rising higher on her legs as he walked deeper.

“Okay, fine,” he said, before he suddenly jerked her upwards, making her yelp before her feet broke the surface, and she landed in the soggy sand in knee high water, and she stared down at it in disbelief.

She jerked her head back up to meet his eyes, hoping to terrify him beyond his wits with the ugly glare she was going to send his way. But as she met his eyes, and found the all too adorable, smug look he had on his face with a sideways grin, she knew she could never even try to make him think she was mad.

“There you go,” he said, obviously proud of his handiwork, if he called getting her suit mostly wet handiwork, that is.

She slumped her shoulders, giving him a half-lidded look. “You proud of yourself?”

He stepped back to look at her, knee deep in the cold water. He grinned at her before stepping closer to her again, “Very proud, actually.”

She huffed, “You’re impossible.”

He nodded, “I know.”

She shook her head, finding his eyes beyond endearing as she stared into them. “I hate you,” she said, her voice monotone.

Chat paused, his mouth agape as he stared down at her, his eyes soft as he held her gaze. Once he found what he was looking for, he gently smiled and stepped even closer to her, making her catch her breath at his close proximity.

“No,” he said, his voice full of confidence. “No, you love me.”

Ladybug stilled, her thoughts caught in a crossfire as she stared up at him, processing his words. They sounded so much like the hallucination, when she believed him dead and he was pushing her to admit the truth, admit how she really felt about him.

At the time, the moment was so intense even as he spoke gently to her, feeling the weight in her chest like a bomb just about to explode. She couldn’t tell if it was going to be a good or bad bomb, whether or not it would ricochet around her chest and destroy everything in its path. Or, it would make her feel so happy and filled that she felt like she would explode if she didn’t tell him, tell him how she really felt.

Or, more specifically, how much she really did love Chat Noir.

But she wasn’t ready to confront that side of her just yet, it was close and nearby, but she knew she wasn’t ready.

And being ready, was her top priority.

So, to avoid it all, she took advantage of the things around her.

She suddenly cupped some of the salty water in her hand and splashed it up in his face and stepping back, watching him splutter as he rubbed at his eyes.

“Really?!” he cried, still rubbing his eyes. “Salt water in my eyes?!”

She snorted, falling into a giggling mess as she watched him trying to regain his sight again.

“You-You seemed like you needed it!” she said, finally gaining control over her giggles as she smiled widely up at him. He finally looked up at her, his eyes red from the salt and the rubbing as he gazed at her. “You need to watch yourself, Mr. Noir.”

He grinned at her, “Oh, trust me,” he said, glancing down at the water before meeting her eyes again. “I’m perfectly capable of defending myself.”

The smile melted off her face immediately, raising her hands defensively, “Chat, don’t you dare—” She didn’t have time to finish her sentence as a wave of water suddenly came barreling at her. She shrieked as it swallowed her whole, soaking every part of her body and finally feeling the shiver the cold water brought with it.

She looked up as he grinned smugly at her, knowing exactly what he’s done. She glowered at him, “Oh, you are _so going to get it!”_ She suddenly used both hands to send a tidal wave at him, watching as he laughed behind it and got soaked.

He retaliated and sent a blast her way, which made her tense off to the side and shield her eyes. When she came back to hit him with her own tidal wave, she was laughing hard, a look of pure joy rippling across her face. Her smile bright as she played in the water with her Kitty, hearing his equally loud cries of joy as she splashed him.

She suddenly tried to turn tail and run, but he followed, she could tell just by the way the water crashed behind her and the laughter that seemed to echo around in her mind.

“You aren’t getting away from me that easily!” Chat cried, running after her as she got out of the water and ran full speed along the wet sand.

“You’re gonna have to catch me Kitty!” she called back, shrieking with laughter as she focused all her energy on running. When she felt him starting to lose speed behind her, she relented and turned around to meet him, a wide smile on her face.

That smile completely melted off her as Chat crashed into her.

Letting out a loud _oof!_ She stumbled backwards before falling onto her back, her arm landing next to her head, while the other one was pinned down by something by her side. She opened up her eyes to see what happened when—

His eyes were wide as he stared into hers, sending a completely overwhelming shockwave through her body that made every nerve sensitive to his touch. He hovered over her; his own face bent in shock as he refused to look away from her eyes. His arm was the one pinning the other arm that couldn’t move, pressing against her shoulder and not letting up on the pressure. He leaned on his other forearm, positioned just below her exposed armpit while his knuckles just barely grazed the underside of her arm.

What was even more unsettling was the knee between her legs, his thigh pressing up against her center that made it impossible to move or she might not be able to hold back the whimper building in her chest. His other leg was on the other side of her hip, his own center pressing up against her thigh and making her extremely aware of how much she _shouldn’t move._

She could feel the sunset’s rays beaming down on them, casting a golden glow over his very handsome face, making it all the more difficult to look away. His hair was hanging down in damp locks, his blond hair now a darker color since it was wet, little droplets that seemed to completely avoid her skin.

The water rushed up on the beach, catching their ankles in the waves, sending a shiver up both their spines, which made them both jerk against each other suddenly.

Neither of them could tell who gasped first.

They were so close, their forehead nearly touching and merely inches apart, their eyes never leaving each other’s.

Ladybug realized she was scared, but she didn’t know what she was scared of. She didn’t know if she was scared of this moment right, whether or not this was the moment where he lost patience with her and kissed her right here on the beach. She didn’t know if she was scared of someone walking down the beach and seeing them, lying in a very compromising position, and breaking this precious moment. She didn’t know if she was scared how long she wanted this moment to last, how long she was _begging_ it to last. She didn’t know if she was scared of letting him lean closer, letting him inch his way to her lips, letting him pull little sighs from her lips as he gently caressed her lips with his own. She didn’t know if she was scared of letting him kiss her and letting him see that vulnerable part of her. She didn’t know is she was scared of letting herself kiss him back, letting herself open up to him in a whole new way they both didn’t have any experience in.

But it wasn’t any of those things.

Yes, she was scared of all of those things, too many possibilities that were overwhelming her and making her feel a pressure building inside her chest that was ready to pop. A balloon of emotions that had little notes written all for him, all her confessions and all the different ways she felt about him.

But there was one word that described all that. _One word that described a terrifying feeling that led to the best thing she could possibly imagine._

Falling.

_Terrifying._

Letting him catch her.

_Exciting._

But she guessed falling was strange like that.

Maybe that’s why she let him lean closer, too terrified to reject him and not experience what she so desperately wanted to feel. She wanted to feel his lips on hers, feel the way they explored her sensitive skin and made her feel like she wanted something more.

It was… it was so overwhelming.

_But she wanted it._

“Chat.”

She meant it to come out as desperate, and his name was drawn from her lips as his grazed hers. She was so overwhelmed by this feeling that erupted in her chest, wanting him to close the distance. She hadn’t meant for his name to be spoken, but the desperation she felt in her chest of wanting him close was so overwhelming.

When he refused to press his lips against hers, she almost let out a whimper that built in her chest so suddenly it was hard to hold it back.

“Chat…”

He tensed above her, and he seemed to finally decide to close the final distance between them when the water suddenly covered their ankles again, the cold jerking him backwards and staring at her, horrified.

“Sorry,” he said quietly before rolling off her, landing on his back next to her, his heavy breathing evident next to her.

Ladybug sucked in a long breath, before pushing it out of her carefully, feeling the way her chest shook violently from all the emotions that stirred in her heart.

Chat noticed and looked over at her in concern, the golden rays of the sunset hitting her beautiful face just right. “My Lady, you okay?” he asked, innocently.

She was confused, furrowing her eyebrows at the sky as she sorted through her thoughts, wondering how they went from having such an intimate moment to lying next to each other pretending like it never happened. She tried not to feel hurt by this, finding herself wanting it to be real, or realer than it had turned out to be. Which was the exact opposite of real.

She was disappointed that it didn’t happen, and that was about as real as it gets.

“I don’t know,” she answered, looking up at the different colored clouds, blocking out part of the darkening sky, the first few stars starting to peak out from their hiding spots in the sky.

Chat didn’t say anything to that, instead following her gaze up at the sky, sighing. He reached out and took her hand and held it between them. She hadn’t meant for the gasp to escape her; she was only surprised. His touch seemed like a much bigger deal now, now that she found herself craving it.

“Ladybug,” his voice was gentle, just the right amount of tender for this moment. “Hey, look at me.”

She couldn’t resist his voice and turned her gaze from the sky and over at him, watching as the sunset rays streamed down on him. He seemed like the perfect image at the moment, someone so in touch but so far away with how terrified she was.

He knew her too well, and that’s why his eyes widened in surprise as he stared into hers, understanding her jumbled and terrified thoughts as they flowed from her eyes to his.

“You’re falling for me,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. He wasn’t smug or egotistic about it, his voice merely coming out as surprised and maybe a little relieved.

She gave him a terrified look, her lips parting and her eyes wide.

“Are you afraid to fall?” he asked, his voice now a whisper.

“I’m afraid of falling for you,” she blurted, catching her breath when the words passed her lips.

He stared at her for a long moment, astonishment crossing his features as he studied her face carefully. Finally, after a long, terrifying moment, he smiled gently at her before rolling over on his side and scooting closer to her, making her follow suit and face him as well.

“You don’t need to be afraid of me,” he said, still holding her hand. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

She smiled at him, “I know,” she said, squeezing his hand and glancing down at their interlocked fingers. “You’ve always been gentle with me.”

“Then why are you scared?” he asked, his voice patient.

She met his eyes again, swallowing nervously. “I guess I’m afraid of crashing.”

He scooted ever the more closer to her, “I’m not going to let you crash.”

She closed her eyes and pressed her forehead to his, breathing deeply as she felt her heartbeat throbbing against her temple.

“I’m terrified of not being enough,” she said, unable to look at him. “You’ve always said how much you loved me, how much you adore this Ladybug that everyone sees, that everyone believes can do everything.” She suddenly leaned back, meeting his eyes with a sad expression behind them. “That’s not the real Ladybug, Chat, the real Ladybug is clumsy, selfish, sensitive, and _fragile_ when it comes to…” she trailed off, searching his eyes for any sign of judgment before forcing out her next words. “When it comes to loving someone.”

He only stared at her, his eyebrows furrowing in concern for her.

“I’m not who you and everyone else thinks I am, Chat Noir,” she said, before lowering her gaze to their interlocked hands, before hesitantly pulling her fingers free, missing his touch immediately. “If you’re looking for that girl… you’re not going to find her.”

Before she could get up to leave, Chat reached out and grabbed her hip, forcing her to stay where she was and look into his eyes, finding a hurt look behind them.

“You’re right,” he said, surprising her. “I’m not going to find that clumsy, selfish, sensitive and fragile girl you described. You know why?” he questioned, never leaving her eyes. “It’s because I’m not looking for that girl, because I already found someone who’s better than what you believe you’re not.” He pulled her flush against him, and stared into her eyes, both of their cheeks reddening from the sudden contact, but he continued anyway. “Finding you was the best thing that has ever happened to me, and I’ve never seen you as this girl your describing, because…”

He paused, shifting his weight as he searched her eyes, “The girl right in front of me is someone who’s responsible, someone who was willing to take on the role of being the new guardian. Yes, she can be a little clumsy sometimes, but that’s just her being the most adorable girl in the world.” He stroked his thumb over her hip, making her still at his touch. “The girl in front of me is selfless, because without you, Paris would be a run down, joke of a city with no laughing children and no blooming roses. What she calls selfish, I call taking time for herself, letting herself heal, before getting back up again and taking on the world with grace.”

He leaned forward and pressed his forehead to hers, speaking quieter this time. “The girl in front of me is responsive, always taking the time to make sure the akuma victims are okay, rushing into danger head on when she knows this could be the last time she does it. She’s only sensitive because she cares so much about everyone, even her enemies, and she’s willing to forgive anyone who has done her wrong in the past. And finally,” he said, smiling at her. “You’re strong, My Lady. You’re the strongest person I know, and there are too many reasons to list why you are. You’re fragile because…” he shook his head, smiling fondly at her. “Because you’re not letting your partner love you.”

He reached up and brushed the damp hair from her face, his smile never leaving his lips. “You deserve to be loved unconditionally, and I’m willing to do that, I already do, so…” he trailed off, meeting her eyes. “So, what do you say?”

She stared up at him, her eyes wide and misting from his beautiful poetry. She guessed this was the moment she realized maybe she was falling for his words all along, and it only took the right ones to trigger it.

Her fall, that is.

The fall that would change everything. The fall that she was terrified to let herself do, the fall that was right in front of her, glowing and shining up at her that made the fall look so tempting.

But she was still scared.

Scared of crashing.

Scared of losing him.

But as she stared up into his comforting, green eyes, feeling his presence slowly warm her chest like a gentle breeze, making her smile like the sinking sun that exposed the stars above them, she realized something. She wanted to fall, she wanted to fall for him, even if it meant falling hard for him.

She guessed the stars really did hold a lot of possibilities, especially tonight as the sky opened up for her, like a door opening to a new path, a new life. 

She fiercely stared at her sky, reaching out and shoving away the big thing that blocked those possibilities, blocked those doors. She shoved away all the fear, the sadness and the pain that scared her, made her hold back from falling. She would force herself to fall if she had to, because she wanted to let herself fall so bad that it hurt, like a nail piercing the front of her heart.

The fear still held her back, but she stepped forward on the ledge, and found a large pit filled with darkness. Not a darkness that was scary or lonely, but it was only dark because she had no idea what it held for her, whether it was good or bad, right or wrong.

_So, what do you say?_

Well, let’s just say she took a leap of faith.

And jumped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gah, I love these two, they're so gentle with each other and its *slaps chest* heartwarming.
> 
> Follow me on insta! @ being_happy_official 
> 
> Hope you guys enjoyed this, I wanted it to be a similar feel to "Falling" as in the story, because people seem to like it so much. I love writing for you guys, and I love all your comments, they make me happy :)
> 
> Till next time, my lovelies!  
> ~being_happy


	13. Cuddles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little cuddling, a little purring, and Ladybug REALLY likes the purring XD

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here ya guys go! Enjoy!

Chapter 13: Cuddles

Chat Noir was pretty sure he was in heaven, considering heaven is supposed to be happy and filled with warmth. Well, he felt about ten times that with his lady tucked underneath his arm, hiding her face in the dip of his neck, the heat evident from her face as it burned against his skin.

She seemed fine, other than how she won’t look at him, she was okay and content. Her light breathing bouncing off his skin and making his body hum with warmth, her heartbeat evident and pounding against his own chest. Really, he could stay here forever, and she seemed to have a similar thought, considering she hasn’t moved for about five minutes.

She suddenly breathed deeply and let it out slowly, her back rising and falling against his embrace. He closed his eyes and nuzzled the top of her head carefully with the side of his head. He felt warm and safe with her in his arms, and she didn’t make any move of leaving or shifting, so he was also thankful for that. He didn’t want her to leave, he wanted to stay like this for the rest of eternity, wrapped up in her embrace and feeling safe.

There were still on the beach, but the sun had finally dipped down below the horizon, creating a curtain of darkness that fell over them as the moon slowly started waking up. The stars shone down like spotlights above them, and the slight darkness and the gentle pushing and pulling of the waves made him sleepy.

Her head shifted and he looked down at her, his lips grazing her hairline as he watched her sigh again, her content showing through her relaxed body. He liked the feeling of her being so close, and it only made the warmth he felt for her grow exponentially. Like he said, he could stay like this forever.

He unexpectantly let loose a gentle purr, and he froze as his cheeks reddened, glancing down at her nervously.

She giggled in his arm, shifting closer to his body, “Do that again,” she said, a hint of laughter in her voice.

He pouted, “You’ll laugh at me.” 

She giggled again, shifting so she could finally look up at him. Her eyes were wide and bright as she stared into his eyes, making his heart skip a few beats as the warmth he felt for her only grew.

“I like it though,” she said, pouting herself. She tucked her face back to its respected spot and she sighed, “It feels nice and I’m sleepy.”

He smiled lightly before letting himself purr again, the vibrations coming from his chest making her giggle again before she sighed in contentment. She tucked her arms between their chests and snuggled closer, her nose touching the skin of his neck and making him want to kiss her nose.

“I see My Lady likes cuddles,” he said, still slightly purring.

She hummed in response, “I admit, I like being held.”

He would’ve jumped for joy at that if it didn’t mean leaving her embrace. “Well,” he continued, rubbing her side affectionately, “I’m always willing to hold you, My Lady.” He leaned forward and kissed the crown on her head, and she leaned into the touch, humming again.

“Good,” she said, her voice sleepy. “Because I like your hugs.”

He beamed, “Aww, really?”

“Really.”

“Well,” he said, trying to pull her closer but that was impossible. “I like it when you’re close to me.”

“And I, you,” she responded, hearing her smile.

He couldn’t help but smile, leaning the side of his cheek against her temple. If he could pull this adorable, sleepy and cute Ladybug out by just holding her, he was certainly going to do it more often. Not to mention he loved the feeling of her in his arms, how her tiny body fit perfectly against his, how she hummed whenever he let loose another purr, how she seemed to be responding to his touch.

She’s never responded to his touch in such a way before, and it made him realize that maybe her love language was physical touch, well, he hoped this was a sign of her love.

Of course, he wouldn’t pressure her for it, knowing she’s sensitive to the topic. She’s always rejected him as Chat Noir because of this alleged other guy. He’s always assumed it was someone she was involved with, someone she’s in a relationship with, but as he got to know her, he found out how loyal she is. If she was in a relationship, she wouldn’t be letting him hold her like this, wouldn’t be falling for him so hard, wouldn’t be worried that she isn’t enough for him.

He hoped she was okay, because he knows people take falling for someone new differently. He heard her when she expressed how worried and anxious she was for falling for him, how nervous she was. How she believed she wasn’t enough for him and how she might not live up to his expectations.

First of all, that’s impossible. Second of all, he loves her imperfections too much for her to be anything more than who she is already. She shouldn’t be nervous about falling for him, he was gentle with her, he refused to hurt her in any possible way. Even if he somehow did, he would never forgive himself until she felt better.

She was this beautiful, delicate soul that he cherished to no ends, wanting to be the one she relied on when things go wrong, when everything fell apart, he wanted to be the one who held her together. There were going to be moments in the future where she is going to want to crumble, to give up, to doubt herself. That’s just who she was, she doubted herself so much that she believed she wasn’t capable of doing anything good, anything that could change the world, anyway.

He guessed maybe that’s why they balanced each other out so well. While she doubted and almost gave up, feeling the pressure slowly starting to crumble on top of her and wither her below the depts of the sea of doubt, he was a life raft. He was someone she could break the surface and rest on, climbing on and finding refuge from the sea she was drowning in. He was so lonely in life, feeling unused but used at the same time, always so ignored but only being called on when he was needed for something so unimportant. Ladybug made him feel useful, but not used. They were doing something important together, saving the world by the skins of their noses and doing it as a team.

He felt so good and right when he was by her side, so important and not such a failure of a son he was outside his superhero life. She made him feel as important as he tried to make her feel.

He felt loved, even if her love was always platonic and not romantic like his was. He knew she loved him, not in the way he wanted it to be, but it was enough.

That’s why her friendship has always been enough, even when there were times where it wasn’t, and he wanted nothing more than to call her his own. It has always been enough to him, because really, he just wanted to be loved, and she did that for him, even when she rejected him.

She rejected him because she hated lying to him, which meant she valued their friendship, which meant she valued him.

And that… that was enough.

Which is why he was bursting with joy now. She was falling for him, she had admitted it, not with so many words, but her terrified eyes and the truth lying right there inside them, clear enough so he could see, and it was just about the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen.

Watching someone fall for someone else has always been beautiful to him. He used to watch his mother do it every day with his father, and he longed for that himself ever since he figured out what love is.

But now as he watched Ladybug fall for him… he has never seen something as beautiful and as profound as they way she looked at him, something more behind the platonic glint in her eyes.

So, lying here, holding her in the dark, feeling her heartbeat pounding against his chest, feeling her fall for him…

He couldn’t ask for anything better.

She snuggled more into him, and he smiled as her attempt was pointless, since their bodies were already pressed completely together, their legs tangled from their attempts at getting closer.

“You’re very warm, My Kitty,” she said, a slight giggle in her tired tone.

He purred again, feeling her smile against him. “I would hope so, since you seem to like using me as a blanket.”

She giggled again, and the sound was endearing. “You’re a pretty nice pillow, to,” she said, nuzzling his neck with her nose.

“You like it down there?” he asked, teasing in his tone, though his question was serious.

She nodded against him, “Yeah,” she sighed. “You make me feel safe.”

He smiled, “Good,” he relaxed against her, wrapping his arms more around her. “That’s good.”

She paused for a moment before speaking again, “Chat?”

He looked down at her out of sight face, “Yeah?”

“I want to see you,” she said, beginning to lean back.

He let her and he scooted his torso back as well, still close enough to keep an arm around her, but far enough so their eyes could meet.

When their eyes met, Chat couldn’t help the stupid grin that broke his face, the butterflies flapping in his chest never resting. Her eyes were bright and glowing in the dark, and he could see the light green tint his were giving off in the reflection of her eyes, making her eyes become a slight, glowing hazel color that danced in the dark. Her lips were turned upwards in a tender smile, and her eyes were still as she stared into his, not moving away and not moving closer.

She looked perfect.

“You see me,” he noted, not taking his eyes off her. “What do you need?”

She smiled at him, before leaning forward and pressing her forehead to his, closing her eyes.

“I need you to stay,” she said, leaning back enough to kiss between his eyebrows.

He closed his eyes, leaning into her touch as she let the kiss linger, making the butterflies in his chest go wild. It was rare his lady kissed him, hell it was rare when she let him hug her, she wasn’t a very physical person, at least she wasn’t with him. But now that she was showing her deep affection for him all of a sudden, he was going to savor every last second of it, in case he never got this again.

He was close to her, and he loved it.

He pulled her closer, “My Lady, I will always stay.”

He could tell just from her relieved sigh that she was still slightly affected by the recent akuma attack, how Chat had sacrificed himself just so she could finish the job. He hated that he hurt her, not knowing it would affect her that much. But he guessed, if he wielded the ladybug Miraculous and it was up to him to save the world yet again, but alone this time, he would freak out to.

Ladybug was sensitive about doing this alone, afraid that her partner was going to leave her someday. Which is why he told her was going to stay, if he ever left her to do this all on her own, he would never forgive his selfish actions. He needed to be Chat Noir, but he guessed Ladybug also needed him to be Chat Noir.

He loved her, so he was going to stay.

“Chat?” she said his name again, a hint of hesitance in her voice.

He snuggled her closer, “Yes?”

She shifted, her nervousness not going unnoticed by him as he leaned back to look at her. Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes avoided his, a shy look he recognized as hesitation, and he thought it was utterly adorable on her. Although, he didn’t know why she should feel hesitant, she could tell him anything and he wouldn’t judge her.

“Can… can we stay here?” she asked, looking up and meeting his eyes as her cheeks reddened more. “I mean, just together and… in your arms, I feel safe and… I want to… fall asleep with you…” She trailed off when Chat leaned forward and pressed a tender kiss to her forehead, rendering her speechless.

He pulled back and fixed her with a loving gaze, “I would love to sleep next to you, My Lady.”

She seemed relieved, “It’ll be weird if someone walks down the beach to see two superheroes fast asleep in each other’s arms covered in sand.”

He shrugged, scooted closer to her, “And?”

She paused, before tucking herself further into his embrace, humming softly as he rubbed her back affectionately.

“And I don’t care.”

Those were just about the best words he heard all night.

Well, so he thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you guys haven't heard already, I can't update Afterglow this week because i wasn't able to finish it. I'm updated this story Today, Wednesday, the 27th and the 29th. 
> 
> Thanks for reading you guys!
> 
> insta: being_happy_official


	14. Chat Blanc

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She is being hunted. She NEEDS to save him. 
> 
> But, at what cost?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chat Blanc! Get ready for some FEELSSSS

Chapter 14: Chat Blanc

She was running for her life, feeling the sweat beading on her forehead and rolling down her neck, making her hair stick to the back of her neck. Her limbs were tired, her super strength the last thing keeping her upright as she plowed through the cold air, forcing herself to keep running. She doesn’t know how long she’s been running for, or what day it was, or what time it was, all she cared about was running.

The streets were filled with black smoke, and the sky had turned white from the absence of color. The moon above them, which hovered in the Earth’s atmosphere, broken in half and shattered, sat unmoving where it was, no longer able to move.

The sheer destruction she saw in her hometown, the buildings burning, the crumbling landmarks, she even watched as the Eiffel Tower gave a final groan and toppled over. She had to watch in horror as her own people got buried alive, burned alive and bled out in the streets, crying out to her for help, begging her to save them.

But she couldn’t, she couldn’t help them. Not while she was being hunted down herself.

Not while she was on someone’s dead pool.

She stopped on a skyscraper, it groaning as it struggled to stay upright. She stumbled as she fought to keep herself upright, holding her side where his claws had ripped open her suit and skin, blood dripping down her side. Her face sported many bruises, a black eye slowly starting to swell just above her cheek bone, and a cut on her other cheek that stung. She had bonked the back of her head earlier, making it hard to stay upright and she was almost certain she had a concussion. Her right ankle was sprained, the run not helping as it throbbed underneath her and struggled to hold her weight.

She groaned out and leaned on her good leg, the pain and the exhaustion coming down on her like a hot wave, soaking her with sweat. She just wanted to be safe, she wanted to find somewhere where she could pass out for a few hours. But she couldn’t do that, not with him running around ramped in the city, killing many more civilians and destroying her home.

She struggled to keep herself conscious, because if she passed out, in the open like this with he was bound to find her and end her just like that. She at least needed somewhere she could hide, her limbs could not carry her anymore, she thought it best to let him past her.

She looked around, feeling her limbs scream at her for pushing them this long, she knew she couldn’t run anymore. She had some time, she’s always been faster than him, she could find a place to hide before he gets here.

She turned her head to the side and found a wall, with a small opening in it that led to a dark corner, a perfect hiding place since she was tiny. He was a very large person; he shouldn’t be able to get inside there even if he did find her.

She ran forward and slipped inside, contorting her face in pain as she squeezed into the tiny space. She finally got past the entrance and scooted deeper inside the wall, before pressing her back firmly against the wall, and waited.

It wasn’t long before she heard him land on the roof, and she stiffened, trying to control her breathing as she heard the clink of his boots as he neared her. Anxiety built in her chest as she heard him get extremely close to her hiding spot, but she couldn’t see him anywhere.

Suddenly, his white form came into focus through the crack, and she caught her breath, not moving as he stared in the other direction, his eyes not visible. Lucky thing to, if she saw his eyes again like she had earlier, the coldness they held would freeze her again, that’s how she got most of these injuries.

He seemed to pause for a moment, his ears jerking as he listened for her, but she didn’t move, her body completely still as she watched him, hoping and praying he didn’t turn his head. Closing her eyes and willing for him not to see her, to just move along so she could hide in peace.

He didn’t move for another minute, before he walked forward and out of sight.

She breathed a very silent sigh of relief, closing her eyes and fisting her hands, trying hard not to cry. After everything they’ve been through together, this was how they were going to end? This was their happy ending? _This is him promising not to hurt her?_

She felt a tear go down her cheek, and she covered her mouth so contain her sob, but it only came out as a strangled inhale of breath. From behind her fingers, her mouth was pressed into a thin line, pushing back on all the emotions that wanted to spill out of her, that wanted nothing more than to overwhelm her. If she did let her emotions take the ride, she was going to become a crying mess, unable to move as she faced the terrible reality that—

Chat Noir had been akumatised.

And, for some reason, the only way to save him was to—

Something landed above her, making her jump and look up. There was a crack between the two walls just a few feet above her head, but she only saw the white sky.

_Step, step, step._

She stilled as the fear came crashing down on her once against, covering her mouth as the sobs threatened to give away her position.

But it was pointless.

He slammed his hands against the ledge, cracking the wall before he popped his head over it, his pupils small and grinning at her evilly.

His icy, cold blue eyes made her freeze.

“Hiding, My Lady?” Chat Blanc teased bitterly. “We both know how pointless that is.”

She let lose a scream before scooting out of the crack in the wall desperately. Once she was free, she took off running, feeling her legs already giving out on her. Her ankle suddenly buckled painfully, and she fell hard to the ground, her face bonking the ground and she cried out when she stilled. Blood started pouring from her nose, but she ignored it as she jerked around, just in time to see Chat Blanc walking slowly to her, his clawed fingers still red with her blood.

She tried to scoot away, “Chat, please—” she was cut off when he suddenly grabbed her throat and lifted her effortlessly off the ground, her feet dangling underneath her. She felt her air way struggling to stay open, only a sliver letting in small gusts of air into her lungs and she struggled to push them out and then in again.

“Chat,” she begged, her voice strangled. “Chat, I-I can’t—”

“Good,” he finished, his voice cold. “It’ll make taking your Miraculous all the more easier.”

She gripped his wrist, closing her eyes as she struggled to breath, trying to bring her legs up and kick him, but her limbs were not cooperating.

She whimpered in pain, “Chat, you’re hurting me!”

“What do you think we’ve been doing this whole time?” he questioned, lowering her enough so that her toes touched the ground, enough for her to lift herself. It made it easier to breath, and she sucked in a long breath of air as he continued. “Why do you think I’m doing this?”

She cried out, the pain in her chest hurting, the pain of a heartbreak. “You’re not evil! Don’t listen to Hawkmoth, Chat!” she cried, begging him. “Please, you have to get rid of the akuma.”

“We both know we can’t,” he said, growling at her. “We both know what you have to do in order to save me.”

She sobbed, shaking her head. “I… I can’t.”

“It’s that,” he said, giving her the options. “Or watching as the world you know crumbles by my hand,” he paused, watching her. “Not to mention, you’ll leave me like this forever.”

She cried out again, “I can’t!”

“Fine,” he said, leaning back a bit. “Then I’m going to have to kill you.”

He shoved her backwards, making her stumble onto the ground, staring up at him as he straddled her hips with his knees. She fought him, reaching out and trying to shove him off her, but he grabbed her wrists with one hand and then wrapped his fingers around her throat again.

He left no room for mercy as he completely closed off her airway, making her struggle against him more aggressive, her eyes bulging out of their sockets as she fought against him. She tried to knock his elbow, tried to buckle it and make him fall to the side, tried to rip his hand off her throat. But all these attempts were in vain, because she may be faster than he is, but he was much, much stronger.

She tried to choke, but her closed off airway wouldn’t let her as she tried to get free.

 _Free him._ Her mind spoke to her, desperately trying to hold on for her own life. _You know what you have to do._

 _NO!_ She screamed back, knowing it’ll mean the end of her if she frees him. _No, I can’t do that!_

 _You know you need to,_ her mind spoke in a sad, depressing manner. _He’ll suffer forever if you don’t. Don’t let him kill you, and free him instead._

She started crying again, her tears rolling down the sides of her face as she tried to fight her logic. She can’t do it, she can’t do that to him or to herself, if she does, she is going to _die._

But she was going to die anyway if she let him kill her. If she was going to do this and die anyway, might as well save him while doing it.

So, she made her decision.

She’ll live with the guilt or die from a broken heart.

She hoped she’d die.

She grabbed his wrist with one hand and reeled back with the other, socking him right in the nose and making him stumble back. She took that moment to suck a breath back into her lungs, filling them with air as she choked to the side and struggled to keep her breathing even.

She rolled to the side right when he was slammed his fist where she used to be, before struggling to her feet and letting him come to her. He reached out to grab her, but she grabbed his wrist again and twisted inside his guard and used her elbow to bonk him in the face. While he was unbalanced, she held his wrist and stepped around him, and kicked on the backs of his knees, forcing him to his knees.

That’s when she used her yo-yo to tie his arms to his sides, making it impossible to move, then wrapped an arm around his neck and the other around his head. He struggled in her grip, fighting against her iron like grip and her impenetrable yo-yo string.

“DO IT!” he screamed at her, “KILL ME!”

Her eyes, already spilling tears, welled up again, making it impossible to breath correctly. Her head was close to his hairline, her lips grazing his hair… and he still smelled like him… he still smelled like Chat Noir.

He huffed, “That’s what I thought,” he said, slightly lessening his struggled. “You can’t.”

She shook her head, pressing her forehead to the crown of his head and squeezing her eyes shut. “Please, Chat, come back to me.” She paused, “I’m begging you… please… don’t make me do this.”

He stilled, “You know you can’t save me and keep me alive at the same time.”

She nodded, “I know.”

Pause.

“So,” he said, not bothering to struggle anymore. “What’s it going to be, My Lady?”

She wished he didn’t call her that, it’s only making it harder. Her mind was blank except for the decision she already made in her head, the decision she already made when he got akumatised. The butterfly was in an impossible place to reach, and the only way to save him and not let him suffer any longer…

Was to kill him.

She sobbed against him.

“I love you,” she said, through her shaky voice. “I love you, _Chaton…_ I’m so sorry I couldn’t save you.”

“You’ll save me if you do this,” he said, his voice still monotone. “But it’s still your decision.”

Pause.

Out of all the endings…

This was it.

She leaned down and pressed her lips to his cheek, before pressing her lips against his ear, and whispered quietly into it.

“Forgive me.”

That’s when she reeled back, letting lose a bloodcurdling scream, before jerking his head to the side.

The breaking of his neck sent a shockwave throughout Paris, knocking Ladybug several feet from his body, tumbling to the ground in a fit of crying and screaming in agony. She hadn’t meant for it to be so violent… but she guessed she was angry with herself to do so.

At least it was quick.

She lurched forward to look at his body, but he wasn’t moving.

She struggled to her feet, her chin trembling and her face contorting as she neared him. He was lying on his stomach, with his neck bent at an awkward angle, and his eyes were wide open… and green.

She watched, not surprised when the butterfly struggled out of him, his mouth anyway, and flapped onto the ground next to him, crumbling into dust. Blood started flowing from his mouth, staining his white suit. There had to be blood, the butterfly was in his heart, it probably climbed from his heart and up his throat… you know, because his heart was hurting.

The white of his suit suddenly faded, leaving his usual black suit and his deep green eyes. The sight of her real partner startled her, and she stepped back, dropping her yo-yo and covering her mouth with her hands. She fell to her knees, squeezing her eyes shut as she leaned forward, keeling over herself in agony as the full weight fell on her.

Chat Noir was dead… and she killed him.

She was still screaming when she woke up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys enjoyed! posting the next chapters on the 27th and the 29th! 
> 
> Insta: @being_happy_official 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	15. In Sync

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They're Ladybug and Chat Noir, they have always been in sync.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 15 for yall! Enjoy!

Chapter 15: In Sync

When Chat felt Ladybug suddenly lurch forward, before she let lose a bloodcurdling scream, he thought there was an akuma attacking, or worse someone had attacked his lady. He jumped to his feet, ready to fight and take on anyone or anything that was making his lady so terrified. But as he looked around the empty beach with only his lady crying and sobbing at his feet, he grew quite confused.

She sobbed horribly below him, and after double checking to make sure they were safe, he dropped next to her, touching her shoulder. “My Lady, what’s—” He didn’t get to finish as she suddenly yelped and slapped his hand away, scrambling away a few feet before laying her wet eyes on him.

She grew a confused look on her face, “C-Chat?” she called, hugging an arm to her chest.

He nodded, studying her with concern, “Yeah, it’s me,” he said, wondering why she was so distressed. “Why are you crying?”

She stared at him for a second, before contorting her face and starting to cry again. She buried her face in her hands and sobbed horribly, her body beginning to tremble from whatever was bothering her.

He reached out and touching her leg, carefully trying to move closer to her. “What’s wrong?” he questioned, his concern only growing.

She looked up at him, tears still streaming her face as she tried to wipe them away. She pulled her legs more against her chest, his hand dropping beside him at the action. She wrapped her arms around the top of her knees and sniffled.

“Just…” she said, avoiding his eyes as she buried her face in her arms, her voice muffled. “Just give me a minute.”

He nodded, “Okay.” He studied her for a second, “Do you want me to leave?”

She shook her head immediately, “No, stay here, please.”

He closed his mouth and nodded, “Okay,” he said gently.

For a long time, or what felt like a long time, they just sat in silence, the air only filled with the night noises, the waves coming up on the sand, and Ladybug’s loud sobs that seemed to echo in his mind. Everything was tender in that moment, as he tried not to watch her as she cried in front of him, feeling awkward since he didn’t know what to do. She wanted him to stay, so he was going to stay, but he also didn’t know how to comfort her when she didn’t want him speaking or touching her. 

Instead of continuing to stare at her trembling form and making her feel awkward when she finally did meet his eyes, he turned his head to the dark sky. He watched the horizon, now completely dark because of the late-night hours, as the waves went up and down in the distance. The stars above him were speckling the sky like the polka dots on Ladybug’s suit, complementing the beautiful night it already was. The moon was straight above them, giving him the impression, it was at least midnight or far past it, which meant they haven’t been out for too long, it’s not like anyone’s missing him back home anyway.

The focused his eyes on the horizon again, leaning back on one arm as his torso still semi-faced Ladybug and just watched the nothingness ahead. The breeze was warm and gentle as it blew his already shaggy hair backwards, the glow of the night illuminating the skin on his face that wasn’t covered by the mask.

The moment was serene, despite Ladybug’s slowly ebbing sobs next to him. If she wasn’t crying, he would most likely be holding her, pointing out different constellations like they did all those weeks ago.

It would be nice to just sit here without any troubles to worry about for once, just let Ladybug lie in his arms and sleep soundly without anything to disturb her sleep. She deserved a good sleep, considering how much pressure she’s under and how many responsibilities she has already. She’s mentioned she’s a daughter and has many friends, she goes to school and she has to deal with these bullies that like to treat her like she’s worthless. She’s the new guardian, has been for about two years now but she has shown signs of her being stressed about it, he just didn’t address them. Plus, she has to act like this untouchable Ladybug in the public eye, always perfect and smiling, taking on the baddies with ease and defeating them easily.

She made it look easy, but Chat has seen far too much to know that she does not handle it very well. The number of times he’s had to bring her back to reality, reassure her that she was fine, he was fine and the akuma victim was fine is astronomical. He’s had to pull her out of interviews by the press early just so he could hold her in an alleyway while she let it out.

He sees a whole other side of Ladybug that no one else sees, and he’s grateful that she at least has him she can lean on when things get tough.

He knows she hates feeling vulnerable, especially around him since she’s in her mask and therefore, has to act like the perfect girl everyone sees her as. But… he honestly kind of pulls her vulnerable side out of her, encouraging her to scream, cry, hit and let it all out on him so that the world can continue to feel safe in this “perfect” hero’s hands that are “flawless.” Of course, she’s always apologetic after she’s done letting it out and she rushes to tell him how sorry she is for saying anything that might’ve been hurtful. He always nodded and smiled at her, knowing she wasn’t intending to hurt him but rather he was kind of asking and encouraging it.

She put so much pressure on herself, honestly, pressure she shouldn’t put on herself. Yeah, it was huge to have the weight of the world on her shoulders, and the world got pretty freaking lucky when she was chosen to be the ladybug wielder. But there was still this side of her that doubted, put down and sometimes even hated herself for failing just a little bit. Those close calls with akumas, where something goes wrong and somebody gets hurt, she feels responsible and tries to fix it with all she’s got.

She doesn’t deserve that, she’s the best person he knows and the most loving. She deserves to be happy and content with herself, she deserves the world, the moon and then some. It’s not that he puts her on a pedestal of perfection, that’s exactly what the world does to her, and it’s demeaning. What he does is he puts her on this pedestal so that she could be high enough to see how amazing she is and how much she can do with the world around her. He thinks so highly of her, but not so much to think she’s inhumanly perfect. He hates the amount of pressure and bad press she gets just by protecting the city she loves when she makes the wrong call.

And she’s only seventeen. She’s younger than him, and yet she has more on her plate than he does.

He loves her and it’s sad to see the girl he is in love with hurting herself because of it.

He didn’t notice how she fell silent for a full minute until she sniffled next to him, drawing his attention back to her. Her eyes were red and puffy, and her nose was all red from the amount of sniffling and rubbing she’s done. Her face was flushed, and her lips were pouting as she cast her glassy eyes towards the horizon, the glow of the moon lighting up her pale skin.

She looked so beautiful in the moment, that he reached out subconsciously to touch her. He gently placed a hand on her cheek, and she met his eyes as he stroked her cheek bone, catching a tear while he was at it.

“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered, before pulling his hand back and watching her reaction.

She pressed her lips together, obviously trying to smile at his compliment, but the weight of whatever was on her shoulders kept the frown on her face. She looked back at the horizon, her eyes gaining a faraway look in them as she fell deep in thought.

He turned his head to the horizon as well, respecting her space and wishes. Not reaching out to touch her again, but also staying close enough so that he could hear the gentle whisper of his name incase he was needed.

And hear he did.

“Chat?”

He turned his attention back on her, meeting her misting eyes in answer to his name.

“I had a nightmare,” she said, pulling her legs closer. “And it was… terrifying.”

He studied her, “You don’t have to tell me, Bug.”

She nodded, “I know,” she said, reaching down and digging her fingers in the sand. “But… I think I need to.” She avoided his eyes as she spoke, picking up a handful of sand before letting it fall through her fingers.

He scooted closer to her, “I’m listening, but take your time. We have all night.”

She lightly smiled at this, and he felt a warmth in his chest blossom from seeing that beautiful look again. Oh, how she deserved to smile all the time.

“I was running,” she said, not looking at him as her eyes became darker from the memory. “Then… suddenly I was hiding, I don’t remember all of it.” She sighed, her fingers tracing something in the sand that looked like an eye. “But… you were there, but it wasn’t you.” Her hand went limp as she told the rest of her nightmare with a ghost in her eyes, staring at nothing while her tears fell silently down her cheeks. “You were akumatised by Hawkmoth, and you were trying to kill me for my Miraculous, but I couldn’t let you. Then I somehow got behind you and the only way to save you was—” she stopped, her breath catching as she let her face fall and buried her face in her hands again, sobbing.

“I killed you, Chat!” she said, her voice broken. “I had to k-kill you to-to s-save you!” She shook violently and started trembling again. “I’m so s-sorry,” she said, her voice broken and quiet.

He reached to touch her, stroking her back affectionately as she cried in front of him, her sobs coming out as shattered breathing that left his heart broken for her.

He already knew how sensitive she was with doing this alone, already knew how upset she had been when he literally died in front of her so that she could go and save the world. But having to watch him die then have a nightmare of being the one who killed him… he can’t imagine.

She jerked violently and Chat wouldn’t have it, he scooted till he was behind her and pulled her close to his chest, letting her rest between his legs. He pushed the little bit of hair that was blocking the back of her neck away with his nose before pressing a delicate kiss on her spine. She shivered at the action but continued to sob in his arms as he kissed her every other second, trying to calm her down.

“C-Chat…” she whimpered, her sobbing not letting up.

He shushed her gently, pressing more kisses to her spine. “It’s okay, you’re okay,” he whispered, her body jerking against his in violent sobs. “I’ve got you, My Lady.”

“I’m so scared, Chat,” she admitted, which made him pause and rest his forehead against the back of her head. “Please… you have to promise me you will _never_ get akumatised.”

He shook his head, “Wouldn’t dream of it, My Lady.” He leaned forward and pressed another kiss on her spine, and she finally relaxed at that, sighing and leaned back against him.

She tucked her face under his chin and closed her eyes, her middle still spasming every once in a while, as she slowly regained control over her sobbing again. She snuggled into him, and he smiled with contentment as he held her tighter, sighing and letting himself purr, knowing she liked it.

He could feel her smile against his neck, and he continued to purr against her as she took deep, shaky breaths that allowed him to relax knowing she’s okay.

He twisted his head and placed a kiss on her forehead, before leaning his cheek against her her, purring again and letting the vibrations lull her back to sleep. But she seemed to be refusing, her body jerking every once in a while, as she struggled to stay awake, but the vibrations of both his heart and his purring were too much. She still refused, and he kissed her forehead gently again.

“Fall asleep, My Lady,” he encouraged, rubbing her arm.

She shook her head, her breathing still shaky as she refused his gentle suggestion. “I shouldn’t,” she said, hesitance in her voice. “What if I have another nightmare?”

“Then I’ll be here, ready for you,” he said, still rubbing her arm. “I’ve got you, okay?”

She nodded, “Okay,” she said, before fluttering her eyes closed.

Maybe it was the night sky, or maybe it was the emotional turmoil they were both in from how much they’ve been through today. Or maybe it was the way she felt safe in his arms, finally willing to say what needed to be said because it’s been on her mind all day. Maybe it was the way how she breathed deeply and seemed to relax in his hold, his love never wavering for her and making him need to say it.

Or maybe it was because… it was the truth.

“I love you.”

They both jerked away from each other, staring into each other’s eyes in shock at the sudden words that had been spoken by two different people at the exact same time, settled in.

They were surprised, nonetheless, thrown off guard at the words and what they could mean… for each other.

But really, it was kind of expected that they did it at the same time.

I mean, Ladybug and Chat Noir have always been, and always will be, in sync.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Awww how sweet :)
> 
> Anyways, get geared up for the next chapter! It's exciting!!
> 
> insta: being_happy_official


	16. First Kiss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You guys all know where this is going. Enjoy :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is one of my favorite chapters!!!
> 
> Also... slight NSFW near the end.

Chapter 16: First Kiss

It was like an ocean of green she was drowning in, letting the current pull her under until she reached the bottom. What she found was unexpected, mostly because what she found, was something beautiful yet terrifying. It was the ocean itself, the water surrounding her and pushing in on her, making her breathless with the lack of air. The merciless feeling that make her sink deeper was a gentle tugging, wrapping around her heart and making her feel weightless yet so, so heavy.

She was so desperate for something gentle, something that’ll hold her heart and meet her at the bottom, just so they could drown together, forever. It wasn’t a painful drowning, like she felt like she was going to die, but a desperate drowning. When you’re struggling to stay afloat, you’re desperate, and the desperation comes from pure fear of dying.

But this wasn’t that, this was the _need_ to drown. This was her heart crying out for whatever she needed to feel, her stomach doing somersaults while butterflies danced like a gentle swarm. It was overwhelming, like how she felt a few hours ago at sunset, the need to feel him closer, the need to have his lips on hers.

She needed his hands on her, gently cupping her face as he deepened the kiss, his hands wandering from her face to her waist only to pull her closer. She needed to press her body against his and feel the heat between them building quickly as she fell into a pit that made her crave more.

But none of this happened.

Instead, she found herself sitting with her legs tucked to the side while she leaned on one arm, the darkness around her like a curtain. Her thoughts make her deaf to everything around her, like she was already underwater, but she was drowning alone this time.

“Ladybug?”

His voice made her jump, and she looked up to meet his gentle, concerned green eyes that sat very, very close to her. She didn’t expect him to be so close, and she subconsciously glanced down at his lips, studying the perfect pinkness they had all for one second.

He didn’t seem to notice as he placed a gentle hand on her thigh, making her look back up into his still concerned eyes.

“I kept saying your name, but you weren’t answering,” he said, his voice a whisper. “You okay?”

She didn’t know how to answer that question, opening and closing her mouth like the awkward girl she was, trying to find something to say to _the man she loves._

She almost laughed out loud, seemed like every time she falls for someone, she’s rendered speechless. Although, he had to understand that this was all so new to her, she knew she loved him for some time now, but confronting that realization was just terrifying.

But maybe it was terrifying because it was something new and great, something she has wanted for some time and as it stared her dead in the face, ready for her, she was scared to take it. She guessed she was scared because she was afraid, afraid she was going to lose him as soon as she let it happen. Watch him slip right through her fingers and then, she’d have to live with the reality that sometimes, she was too hard to love.

“Ladybug,” he called her name again, tilting his head so he could see her eyes, but she avoided his gaze. “Hey,” he said, reaching out and stroking her cheek with his knuckle. “Look at me, My Lady.”

Now, when he said her name like that, she couldn’t resist.

She turned back to meet his eyes and found the tender look again, a look that she loved so much because it was only meant for her. She has never seen him give anyone else that look, and now that she knew she loved him, and he must’ve known it to, the look was absolutely endearing.

“Chat,” she finally said, liking her lips in nervousness as she refused to look away from his gorgeous eyes. “Can I ask you something?”

He nodded, his full attention on her. “Of course.”

She paused for a moment, looking down in hesitance as she swallowed nervously, her heart hammering against her rib cage. She could feel her pulse beating around her body like a very loud bass, vibrating every second and only increasing in speed.

But every pounding, throbbing and painful beat in her chest, was for him.

“Why do you love me?” she asked, looking up to meet his eyes.

“Because you’re you,” he said, his answer immediate. He didn’t take time to think about it first, which made her blush because he must’ve thought about this a lot. “The day I realized was the day we met, when you took down all those akumas by yourself and told Hawkmoth off.” He chuckled and smiled at her, a proud look she rarely saw on him, and when she did see it, it was because he knew he was doing something right.

“You’re so brave, confident and independent. You are kind and strong, and just about the best person I know,” he said, leaning back a little to look at her better. “You don’t need me to save the world, you can do it all on your own, but you _choose_ to need me. You chose me.” He smiled gently, his eyes growing misty, “Nobody has chosen me over anything in a while, and… it just made me fall hard for you.” He reached out and took her chin in his fingers, “I could list a thousand more reasons why I love you… but then we’d be here all night.”

She giggled only because of the joke, not because of the nervous butterflies flapping around in her chest… nope, it has nothing to do with that.

He smiled at her and bopped her nose with his own in a kitten kiss.

Her cheeks flushed. Oh, who was she kidding? The butterflies have been in her chest since the day she realized she loved him.

After a long moment of tense staring, his eyes glistening in the moonlight and his lips parting like he was trying not to do something, she finally made her decision.

“Chat,” she said, reaching out and touching his chest. “I love you.”

His eyes went wide with shock and wonder, his mouth falling agape as the words settled between them in the empty air.

Something broke in Ladybug’s chest, but it wasn’t her heart. It was a good breaking, like tearing down an old building just so she could build a new one.

But no, no she wanted that area to stay open and filled with him, she no longer wanted anything between them. She wanted the space between them to be filled with their heavy breathing as they held each other desperately. She wanted nothing more to be between them other than the good butterflies flapping endlessly in her chest.

The wall that separated them, was being torn down, slowly… but surely.

Chat reached out to her, four fingers cupping underneath her chin while he touched her bottom lip with his thumb, watching it quiver at his touch. He raised his gaze to her eyes, and a shockwave went through her body, a need filling her chest like a river flowing downstream.

“My Lady,” he said, carefully spelling out her name which had her shivering. “May I kiss you?”

She stared up at him, before licking her lips and slowly nodding.

He nodded, “Let me come to you.”

She nodded before stilling completely as he leaned forward, licking his lips and parting them. She watched him near her with a pounding heartbeat in her chest, and she closed her eyes as his nose touched the other side of hers. She hasn’t felt his lips yet, but she could feel his shaky breath bouncing off of her lips. He was so nervous, his heartbeat pounding against her hand that was on his chest, careful to not grab him and draw him forward.

His fingertips barely grazed her leg, trying to reach out to her but at the same time, still hesitant. His nearing had stopped, and she didn’t move as she felt nothing but his shaky breath on her lips. She held herself back, wanting him to come to her, and he wanted to go to her, so she waited… and waited… and waited… but he was still hesitant.

He was so close, so close yet so far away.

She whimpered unexpectantly, hating him for making her wait so long.

“Chat…” she said, her lips grazing his.

Pause.

“I know.”

He pressed his lips against hers, which had her gasping and shaking from head to toe, the feeling of his lips overwhelming her. She relished in the way how he didn’t move for a second, before carefully opening his mouth again and capturing her lips once more. She gasped again and went to kiss him back, the feeling building in her chest growing so rapidly fast it had her shaking.

He reached out to steady her, even though they were sitting, and he placed a hand on her thigh, his thumb stroking it delicately. The contact sent a wave of warmth to her heart, making her cover his hand with her own, feeling his fingers tangle with hers.

She reached up with her other hand and let it rest on the back of his neck, her fingers lightly massaging his hairline. He responded to the contact by deepening the kiss, cupping her cheek with his free hand and tilting his head to the side, capturing her lips again.

They broke apart for a moment, breathing deeply and only centimeters away from each other’s lips.

She kept her eyes closed and pressed her forehead to his, letting her hand on the back of his neck slide down to his shoulder. She took another deep breath and opened her eyes only to look down, his fingers were still tangled with hers, resting on her thigh. She smiled down at them, stroking her thumb over his and liking how he sighed in front of her.

She raised her gaze up to meet his and met his eyes, smiling at him gently. He had a slight blush on his cheeks, which was utterly adorable, although she could feel the subtly warmth on her cheeks as well, so she guessed they were even at that point.

He moved toward her again, slowly and hesitant, like he was doing something wrong or scary. Anxious that she would push him away and say that kiss was just for practice. But that was far from the truth, she was the one wanting another kiss out of him, but she was too nervous to initiate it.

He took the reigns and used his nose to prod her head back up, hesitating before leaning in again. She was the one that kissed him first this time, becoming impatient with his adorable hesitance and finally pressing her lips against his. She captured his lips again, letting it linger before kissing him again, feeling her body start to shake again.

He prodded her lips more open and hesitantly flicked his tongue against her bottom lip, which had her gasping before willingly letting him in. Their tongues danced around each other, making the kiss shift from something deep and slow, to slightly more heated.

He reached out for her with both hands, holding her face gently while kissing her harder, which had her breathless and unable to control the shaking of her hands. She reached out to him and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer as the kiss steadily became more heated. He moved his hands from her face to her legs, before pushing her backwards. His fingertips traced up her legs until she was pressed down on her back, him settling between her legs and breaking the kiss momentarily to breath.

They resumed their heated kiss once she was gasping when their centers pressed against each other, making her feel lightheaded as he rubbed a hand up her side. She reacted to the action, feeling a heat drop between her legs as he kissed her gently, but he let his hands wander.

He was careful with his hands, not going to far but at the same time, not far enough that had her going crazy. His hands would slowly drag up her sides, his thumbs barely just grazing the underside of her breasts before returning to her hips. He would reach back and use his claws to drag up the back of her thigh, which had her gasping and shivering at his touch.

She thought she was going to be crushed by his weight, but he held himself up over her, careful not to crush her with how big he was and how small she was. She was taken aback by how good it felt to have him so close, settled between her legs and pressing against her yet being so gentle with her. It wasn’t just the warmth building between her legs that felt good, it was the feeling of having him so close and being so gentle with her. He was careful with her, not letting his hands go too far and not invading her, she felt safe like this, not exposed even as he started to pull small vulnerable sighs from her lips.

He started trailing kisses from her lips to her cheeks, then to her jawline, peppering delicate kisses on her skin that had her sighing in contentment.

But that was all before he started moving against her.

It came over her like a powerful wave, not quite overwhelming her, but warming her to the point where she closed her eyes and opened her mouth, her whole body going numb except for the friction between their centers.

“Ah, _ah, Chat,”_ She suddenly let lose, and it made her freeze as her cheeks flushed in embarrassment.

He stopped and leaned back to look at her in concern, “Whoa, are you okay?”

She stared up at him and bit her lip in embarrassment, “Sorry, I—”

“You don’t need to be sorry,” he said, reaching up and brushing the hair from her face. “What’s wrong?”

She hesitated for a moment, avoiding his eyes as her cheeks impersonated a tomato, feeling an embarrassing weakness shield her heart from him.

“It—” she hesitated, glancing at him nervously. “It was just a little… scary.”

Chat’s eyes widened, “Oh, _God_ , did I scare you?”

She reached out and touching his chest, smiling up at him in reassurance. “You didn’t scare me, _Chaton_ ,” she said, smiling at him sweetly. She let her fingers trail his chest for another moment before hugging her arms at her chest, feeling exposed. “It’s… it’s just—this is a public beach, and… we were having a very—intimate moment that I only want to share with you and—” she sighed, meeting his eyes. “What am I saying? Those things are true… but they’re not the real reason.”

He tilted his head at her, “Then… what is?”

She stared at him for a moment, before letting out a slow breath of air. His eyes were honestly concerned for her, and they made her feel safe and secure when she pushed out the real reason.

“It…” she said, avoiding his gaze again. She sighed and met his eyes, squeezing her eyes shut as she said, “It just… felt _really good.”_ She looked down, ashamed, “And… I’ve never been… vulnerable like that.”

He stared at her for a long moment as she watched for his reaction, scared he was going to laugh at her or tease her. But he did no such thing. He smiled sweetly at her before leaning forward and pressing his lips to her forehead. She leaned into the gentle gesture, smiling as it lingered on her skin after he pulled away to look at her.

“It’s okay to be vulnerable like that, you know,” he said, meeting her eyes. “You don’t have to be scared with me. I’m not going to hurt you and I would _never_ take advantage of you or pressure you into anything.” He reached up and brushed the bangs from her eyes, “This was our first kiss, and I want to remember it as _just_ a kiss for right now. We shared an intimate moment, and I can’t wait to have more with you… but not unless you’re ready.” He paused studying her face, “That is… if you’d have me to.”

She couldn’t help but smile sweetly at him, reaching up to cup his face with one hand. “I would love to have you,” she said, stroking her thumb on his cheek. “I’ve wanted you for a long time now… and I don’t intend on stopping. My feelings are…” she trailed off, frowning at herself. “Confusing, to say the least, but I know one thing… I’m not confused about you.” She met his eyes with a blush blossoming her cheeks, “I know for certain I want you… and I want to be your lady, I want to be yours.” She pulled him down so she could press her forehead against his. “I want you to be mine.”

He smirked at that, leaning back to look at her, “Well, when you put it like that—”

“Don’t even start, Kitty,” she said, pointing at him and unable to hide the smile on her face. “I’ve been proven wrong enough today, don’t you get started on—”

“How much you deeply adore me?” he questioned; his tone playful. “C’mon, My Lady, admit it. It feels good to be wrong about this.”

She snorted, crossing her arms at her chest, “You keep thinking that alley cat.”

He smiled before leaning down and kissing her, the kiss gentle and heartwarming as she let herself drown in the feeling. He was careful and gentle with his kisses, reaching up and pushing back the bangs on her forehead and leaving kisses all over her face, making her a giggling mess.

He finally kissed her on the lips, and she sighed in his mouth, reaching up to touch his chin before pulling away and pressing her forehead to his, smiling silly.

“Chat Noir?”

It was rare she said his full name.

“Yeah?”

Pause.

“I love you.”

He paused before kissing her on the lips again, the moment precious and intimate.

“I love you to, My Lady,” he said.

They left each other that night to return to their respected homes, cheeks blossoming and fingers slipping as they waited for the last moment to leave each other.

It finally hit her when she crashed on her bed later that night.

Meeting him all those years ago was mere chance, and the thought of her landing on top of anyone else was terrifying. She was so lucky to have him, to have met him, to see him practically every day.

But now that she’s met him in a whole different way that made her heart flutter with excitement… she can’t think of any better way of falling for him, meeting him, and loving him.

Finding him, was certainly a journey.

But at least it happened.

She supposed that was all that mattered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys enjoyed! 
> 
> Insta: @being_happy_official


	17. Future

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ladybug and Chat Noir have a talk about their worries and anxieties.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys enjoy!

Chapter 17: Future

It was anxiety in her chest as she stared up at the tranquil, golden sky, watching as the clouds above her floated away in the wind. The breeze was knocking the tree above them back and forth, sending leaves to float down to the ground in a little excited dance. She was on a hill, the grass beneath her super suit crunching from her weight and no doubt sticking to her suit.

She could feel her fly aways from her pig tails flapping in the breeze, the golden sunbeams streaming down and hitting her face. The evening was perfect weather, and she closed her eyes to try and feel the same way the evening was tell her to feel.

But the worry continued to build in her chest, like a swelling balloon about to pop. She didn’t want to worry about this kind of thing, it was unbeknownst to her. She was so new to this, so used to feeling trapped and hard to love throughout the day it was hard to believe that someone _wanted_ to love her.

But maybe this was all in her head, maybe Chat Noir was only ever attracted to this perfect, stationary Ladybug that the public eye sees? Even though a few nights ago, he had told her the exact opposite, that he loved the flawed Ladybug that he gets to see every day. She knew there was no changing his mind from her, he was too stubborn when it _came_ to her. That much she knew from how long he’s waiting to kiss her.

The kiss.

Ladybug smiled at the memory, finding herself relishing in it and loving the warm feeling she got in her chest as she thought about it. The way he leaned in slowly, asked if he could kiss her, made her wait for it in a tense, long moment she practically was shaking in. She was no better when he finally did satisfy her hungry lips, when he pressed against her and caressed her lips with his own. She felt safe, secure and happy as he explored every dip of her lips, only gently kissing her.

She remembered how she immediately started shaking when he kissed her, pouring every emotion he was feeling from his lips to her, basically breathing into her. She was coming alive in that moment, every nerve in her body awakening to the sounds, the scent, the touch and every caress he gave.

She remembered how she felt when he finally pressed her backwards, surprised how good it felt to have him close. Not in just the sexual, warmth between her legs kind of way. But as he gently kissed her, his hands wandering and giving her loving and caring touches, she realized how touch starved she was, not by her family and friends, but by him. She has never felt such a craving for his love before, and even now as she lays in the sun, basking in its forever glow, she waits patiently for him to show up.

Maybe this anxiety she feels is the anxiety of being away from him, being scared that he won’t show up. They were superheroes, it’s not like she can just pick up the phone and say, “meet me in ten,” without getting a really confused Parisian to tell her she’s got the wrong number. She hated the distance their masks put between them, and she was just about done with it.

But revealing their identities… that was just as scary as losing him. What if he was disappointed? What if he didn’t like her? What if she was all the things he said she was not? What if he had been _lying_ to her and hoping she was someone else?

She shook her head, still not opening her eyes. It’s impossible to hope it was someone else when he didn’t even know her real name. She guessed she feared what his reaction will be once they finally did decide to take that next step… knowing each other’s real face and name.

She guessed that was the anxiety talking.

“Bugaboo!”

She swears she jumped like ten feet.

She had yelped and jumped to her feet, standing in a ready position while turning around and facing her opponent when—

Chat Noir looked absolutely terrified, dropping his staff to his feet then immediately picking it up again.

“Sorry!” he cried, waving his hands in front of her. “I didn’t mean to scare you!”

She relaxed and rested her hand that was hovering over her yo-yo. She sighed in relief as she placed a hand over her rapidly beating heart, closing her eyes and breathing in and out. When she finally looked up at him, he still looked rather guilty, so she smiled at him warmly.

“It’s fine, Kitty,” she said, gesturing for him to come forward. He obeyed her and stopped right in front of her, his arms limp and his ears dipped backwards in shame. She giggled at him and flicked his bell, “Don’t feel bad, kitty-cat, it happens.”

He sighed, dejected and gave her a pouty look, “Am I always going to startle you?”

She laughed, before patting his chest, “Not always, besides,” she flicked her hair and turned to walk back to the tree. “You’re not that slick.”

She could feel his offense from the way the air changed behind her.

“Excuse you!”

“Did I do something wrong?” she asked, putting her hands on her hips and turning back to him.

His face both looked adorable and absolutely livid at her. “I am the slickest cat this city’s ever seen!”

She raised an eyebrow, “Really?”

He stepped forward and towered over her, his shadow over taking hers. “You should know this,” was all he said.

She snorted, “I find it quiet fitting, actually.”

“You have some sass on you tonight, My Lady.”

“You should already know that by now,” she smiled at him, taking his hand. “Now, are we gonna look at the clouds or what?”

He smiled at her, and she couldn’t help but feel secure under his gaze. No matter how many times she had to say it, think it, or prove it, she was going to scream to the world that Chat Noir was her favorite person on the planet.

They finally laid down, shoulder to shoulder under the tree that continued to dance in the wind. Watching as the leaves from it fell down like a gentle shower on them, occasionally landing on their faces and tickling their noses. The clouds were still golden in the evening light, and the sun continued to dip lower and lower under the horizon. This felt a lot like the night they stargazed almost a month ago, except warmer and more peaceful. At the time, they were apologizing for fate, apologizing for the almost kiss they had earlier that night, but as she thought about it, she realized it wasn’t an accident.

She had wanted him to kiss her, wanted to feel the warm feeling in her chest like she felt on the beach, tucked safely in his arms right before he gently kissed her. She guessed she would never admit it out loud, even if her feelings for him have changed since then, but she still wanted intense moments like that. She wanted gentle, quiet moments with him that seemed to scream in the silence at her, making her heart pound every moment she was with him. But she also wanted the tender, wholehearted moments that were quiet, and gentle.

Gentle like she wanted him to hold her face while he kissed her, gentle like how she wanted him to touch her and hold her hand. Tracing little circles in her back and reassuring her that everything’s okay. Somedays things weren’t okay, somedays got bad, and she felt upset and doubt in her heart, but whenever she was with him, she didn’t even need to mouth her pain. Being in his presence, hearing his lame cat puns, watching him speak about stupid but meaningful things, letting him hold her just for the sake of holding him.

She couldn’t get enough of it. Being with him just made her feel brighter, not that she was depressed all the time, but being with him… she felt like she was at her best. She wanted to be the best version of herself for him while not being afraid to show him all her most vulnerable and sacred, fearful parts. She was still struggling with that, but she’d get past it, she wasn’t worried about it. Chat was a gentle person, and he was gentle with her, which made her feel safe.

The only thing keeping her quieter than usual tonight was, you guessed it, the future.

She listened and watched his mouth move, watched as his words floated in the air and hitting her deaf ears as she stared at him. It’s not like she was being rude, she didn’t mean to not be listening, she was just deep in thought. She liked the sound of his voice, but right now, it was sending her into deep thought mood, which she hated.

They haven’t talked about the kiss on the beach yet, even though it happened only a few days ago. Sure, they’ve also kissed a few times after that, not saying much or acknowledging it, and she hated the guilty feeling it left her. This was toxic, what they were doing. Kissing but not speaking about it at all, keeping it locked up behind a door and not bringing up in a conversation.

Of course, they were both at fault for making it more toxic every day, since the weight of it continued to get heavier. They were avoiding the conversation to start, afraid of what could happen if they do bring it up, or what won’t happen if they leave it be.

Ladybug was having a mental breakdown at this point, and had completely gone deaf to everything around her, including the cat that called her name several times.

Someone touched her shoulder and she flinched, whipping her head around to the side.

“Ladybug?” Chat asked, his eyes filled with concern. “You okay?”

She stared at him for a moment, processing his words before shifting uncomfortably. He had moved to his stomach and was leaning over her, resting his weight on his arms right beside her.

“I’m fine,” she lied, avoiding his gaze.

He gave her a look, “C’mon, Ladybug, if you’re going to lie, you gotta try and convince me.”

She glared at him, “I’m fine, Chat.”

“Convincing,” he said, scooting closer to her. He locked eyes with her, “What’s wrong?”

She met his eyes and found them not mocking her but this steel look that was filled with concern stared back at her. A look she knew was one where he wasn’t going to stop pressuring until he got an answer from her, until he knew she was okay.

She sighed without looking away. _What a stubborn cat,_ she thought.

She finally broke the gaze and stared back up at the tree, watching again how the leaves danced towards the ground, easily falling with grace like a ballerina. She smiled lightly, if only she were that okay and graceful when she was falling.

“Chat Noir, what are we?” she asked, looking back over at him.

He tilted his head in confusion, “What do you mean?”

She sighed, “You know…” she raised her hand and gestured between them. “Us.”

His face grew in understanding and he closed his mouth, waiting for her to continue.

“It’s just…” she trailed off, gathering her thoughts. “Obviously, we like each other. We kiss a lot, go on what I think are dates, and even more kissing.” She stopped, sighing like she was tired. “But… but that’s not… it doesn’t mean—”

“That we’re in a relationship?” Chat finished.

She looked at him gratefully, “Exactly,” she said, raising her gaze up to the sky again. “I mean, we kiss a lot, and… I like it.” She hesitantly looked at him, pressing her lips together at his attentive gaze. “But… we haven’t labeled it or called it what… what I want it to be.”

“And what is that, exactly?” he asked, his voice hesitant.

She wished he wouldn’t say things like that, like he was afraid she was going to hurt him. The last thing she wanted to do, ever, was hurt him. And even though sometimes she did, sometimes she couldn’t control her temper and she’d say some pretty horrible things to his face, it didn’t mean she hated the untrue words as well. She really hated how he seemed scared of her words, that she might scare him away with how much venom she can put in them.

He always stayed, though. He waited until she was done shouting and had realized what she said was wrong, and he was always there to forgive her when she’d break down in tears. She’s said such horrible things to him before, things that were absolutely not true about him, and she has had mental breakdowns because of them. But he was always there, he’s even chased after her a few times when she was mad or so upset with her own words. He wouldn’t let up until she let him hug her, whether she was still mad at him, or upset with her own words that have wounded him.

She really didn’t deserve this angel, and she wanted him to know that she wasn’t trying to hurt him. Especially not during this tender, and golden moment.

“I want there to be an us,” she finally said, letting out a sigh along with it. She watched his reaction turn from hesitant to fragile and loving as he gazed down at her. “I want there to be more between us than just some friendship or partnership. I want to be _yours,_ Chat Noir,” she said, smiling at him all the while. “I want to be your lady.” Her face fell only a little bit as her fears returned and she lifted her gaze upwards again, into the safe, open sky. “I’m just… scared.”

He reached out and took her hand, making her look back up at him. “I told you,” he said, his voice gentle and he rubbed his thumb up and down her hand. “You don’t need to be scared of me.”

“I’m not scared of you,” she said, which was the truth. “I’m just… I don’t know how to do this!” She exasperated, lifting herself to a sitting position, Chat following and sat in front of her to better see her face “I don’t know how to be with you… and yes I want you but… I don’t know what I want at the same time and I…” she covered her face and groaned, “This is so hard to explain.”

He scooted closer and she lowered her hands to watch him.

“Take your time,” he said, reaching out and taking her hand. He smiled at her, “I’m patient.”

She smiled at him, before closing her eyes and gathering her thoughts, sighing as they finally clicked in place and she, for once, understood what she was so worried about.

“How are we supposed to be together as superheroes when we don’t even know each other behind the mask?” She asked, looking down and avoiding his eyes. “I’m so… nervous about how hard I’m going—how hard I _am_ falling for you… only to-to push you away.” She raised her gaze to meet his and found his attentive eyes on her, still listening. “I just… I don’t know if I want to wait… or… start right now.”

For a long moment, both of them remained silent, feeling the tension between them so thick even while the world around them was so peaceful. She hated when things were awkward between them, that means something happened that wasn’t supposed to happen, that means one of them was too afraid to say something. That means she was about to hear something she didn’t want to hear.

But, like he always did, Chat Noir surprised her with the exact opposite.

He reached out and tilted her chin up, making her meet his gentle eyes that were staring into her own. He smiled at her, and his breath bounced off her nose as she stared into his green tinted eyes. He leaned closer to her, giving her the chance to run away, but when she didn’t, he lightly pressed his lips against hers in a gentle kiss. His lips were so light on hers it almost felt like a cloud was kissing her, if that were possible. It was a loving and tender kiss that was meant to be more of a promise than a gesture of his affection.

He pulled away, but not too far. He took both of her hands in his and held them delicately in his own, squeezing them lightly.

“I’ll wait for you,” he said, his voice a whisper.

She leaned back, shaking her head while she did. “I can’t ask you to do that, Chat.” She met his eyes, but then her eyes dropped down to their interlocked hands, how he wouldn’t let go of her.

He shook his head, “You didn’t need to,” he said, catching her eyes again. “I’ve waited for three years; I can wait a little longer.” He studied her carefully, his lips closing at his next words. “And I’ll be here for you, no matter what you choose.”

She gave him a terrified look, “What if I can’t?” she asked him, her voice borderline desperate. “What if I don’t choose you?” Her voice cracked on the last word, and she looked down as her face contorted.

He shushed her and pressed his forehead to hers, not speaking until she had calmed down. “Then that’s that,” he said, his tone saddened. “I can’t force your feelings.”

She shook her head against him, “This isn’t fair to you—”

He cuts her off with a gentle kiss to the lips. “It is if you’re still letting me do this,” he said.

She sighed and let him kiss her a few times to calm her nerves. She didn’t let him stop until she could take a proper breath of air through her lungs. His lips seemed to calm her, and the thought gave her some security about their current situation.

He pulled back so he could look at her. “My Lady, I will love you no matter what you choose, or how long it takes.” He stopped so he could catch her gaze and looked her dead in the eyes. “My love for you is not fragile.”

She stared at him for a long time, unable to comprehend the amount of grace he has. He seemed inhuman when he talked like that, bringing whole new meanings to words that she thought were just that, words. But his poetry seemed to have caught her off guard again, and she couldn’t help but shake her head at him in astonishment.

“You’re an angel,” she said.

He let out a single laugh, leaning back and raking a hand through his hair. “You’d be surprised how many times I hear that on a daily basis.”

“It’s true!” she said, crawling after him. She didn’t want to be too far away from him, the idea hideous in her mind, and it bothered her day and night whenever she wasn’t around him. “You’re the sweetest, most understanding angel I have ever met. You’re kind, strong, and gentle… especially with me.” She reached up to cup his cheek, liking how he flushed underneath her fingertips. “I can see your halo, Chat Noir,” she said, smiling at him. “You’re golden to me.”

He smiled at her, before pulling her closer. She got the hint and giggled as she climbed onto his lap, swinging a leg over his hips and holding him close as she settled on top of him. She smiled at the warm feeling she got in her chest as he held her close, not wanting to let go anytime soon. She snuggled closer to him, hearing a vibrating noise that meant he was purring against her, and she couldn’t help but giggle at him.

“Ladybug,” he said, his voice warm as it hit her neck, making her shiver. “Don’t worry about the future, My Lady, it will take care of itself.” He craned his head and kissed her neck, making her insides turn to mush. “You just need to worry about the right now.”

She hummed against him, snuggling closer. “I like right now,” she said, hugging him tighter.

There was no way she was letting him go, not until she absolutely had to.

She doesn’t remember this herself, but she already made her decision that night. While she felt the warm, familiar beams on her face, the leaves landing around them and occasionally on them, how the breeze blew away the wayward strands in her pigtails. She also felt her heartbeat do a double backflip as he pulled her closer, not letting her go even as she tried to get off his lap, afraid his legs were going to fall asleep. She loved the feeling of his strong arms around her, how she felt warm, safe and secure from anything that could hurt her in the future.

But she didn’t need to worry about whatever the future held at the moment, because from here on out, she only would accept the good things, and deal with the bad.

And with this lucky cat by her side, she believed she could take on the world.

_It’s us against the world._

She smiled.

_As always._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next update will be Wednesday!
> 
> Insta: @being_happy_official 
> 
> Also, if you guys haven't gotten the memo yet, i'm taking a break from Afterglow for now only so I can finish the prompts for this story. I will continue Afterglow when this story is finished!
> 
> Until next time!


	18. Close Call

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Playfulness, coffee, what could go wrong?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love this chapter, so enjoy!

Chapter 18: Close Call

Chat Noir has always liked patrols. One, for obvious reasons that involve a little lady and her adorableness. But the other reasons were mostly about how free he felt during those patrols, how he got to escape the suffocating walls of his room, how he got to pretend for just one night, he was someone else. It was exciting, really, and it gave him pure joy to see his lady on such occasions, seeing her laugh and seeing her happy.

Ladybug was anything except good at hiding her feelings. When she was upset, he could tell, she got this little crinkle between her eyes that looked strained and out of place. He would prefer to reach out and smooth it over, since he didn’t like it, but he knew her boundaries were still set in stone and still solid. He didn’t want to invade her personal space since he knew how important they were for her.

But when there wasn’t an akuma waltzing around or a thief to bust in the night, she was pretty light in the evenings. She was carefree, brighter, enjoying herself when she was around him, and he loved seeing her like that! She was so pretty when she was happy, and her smile on warm, sunset patrols were just—slaps chest—heartwarming.

He loved to be by her side when she was happy, loved watching her laugh, play around, she even punned herself! Patrols seemed to be lighter on her and gave her the time and space she seemed to need away from her civilian life. He was absolutely stoked to be part of that, be part of something that was making her happy.

He especially loved the games and the teasing they did. Their banter was just about the most golden thing he has ever been a part of. He loved making fun of her height, her pigtails, her freckles, only because those were some of his favorite physical things about her. He loved how overly tall he was compared to her, and he loved how her pigtails flapped in the wind behind her, giving her the innocent vibe, he guessed she was going for. Her freckles—oh gosh her freckles—were like little kisses from the sun, gifting her with a bright beauty that was rare on some, but so natural when it came to her.

And watching her smile across from him, leaning her back against the opposite wall he was leaning against, was just about the most beautiful thing in his life.

They were taking a break from patrolling, both knowing who the obvious speedster in this partnership was—obviously Ladybug—and laughing about stupid stories in the past.

“No, wait,” she said, still recovering from her recent giggle fest. She pointed at him and looked away, thinking. “Wasn’t there that one time where you fell off a roof, onto the pavement, in front of a couple and nearly gave them a heart attack?”

He cringed at the memory, “Yup, yup, still remember how hot the coffee was to.”

She burst out laughing, “They threw their coffee at you?!”

He sighed, “Every. Last. Drop.”

She laughed some more and doubled over, her teasing still behind that mischievous glint in her eyes.

He rolled his eyes, “I never should have told you about that.”

“I’m glad you did, actually,” she said, smirking at him. “It brings me great joy, when I think about it. Especially when I randomly come across it in the classroom.” She grinned, eyeing him, “I laughed so hard my face turned red and my friend was giving me a weird look.”

“Good,” he shot back, crossing his arms. “No need to tease, Ladybug.”

She snorted, “This friendship is running off teasing,” she said, mimicking him and crossing her arms. “The only way I can tolerate you is if I tease you.”

“Me-ouch!” he said, smirking at her. “You’ve got some tongue on you tonight.”

She rolled her eyes, “I’m just tired, _Chaton.”_

“Uh-huh,” he said, eyeing her. “You seemed kinda grumpy tonight.”

She glared at him, but it was still playful. “Whatever, alley cat.”

He snickered at her response and leaned back fully on the wall. They fell into a comfortable silence, listening to the nightly noises that the city made at this time of night. He noted how the air continued to grow chillier as they neared the morning hours, both of them not willing to leave just yet for the night. They both knew they rarely had joint patrols; they only happened on weekends so they could give the other a break during the workdays.

He cherished his joint patrols with her, it was the only nights he got to see her besides during an akuma attack. They happen three to four times a week, and it was nice to see her on the weekdays. But of course, it was a little hard to serenade his lady when there’s an akuma literally trying to kill them every other second. These were the calm nights he got with her, and he intended on keeping them calm, as much as the city allowed, to an extent where they both knew they were in a safe place.

Ladybug was a safe place for him, and he hoped she knew how much he treasured her, and how much he loved to be next to her, saving the world and whatnot. She was an escape from the world he knew, safe from his disappointed father, safe from the society, always pocking and prodding at his civilian self. Safe from the swarm of both girls and fans promising to wait and hold his heart forever with their “love letters.”

Chat didn’t know much about love, but he knew what it wasn’t. Being obsessed with someone wasn’t love, it was an idol, a fake, and a statue you put yourself under. A perfect representation of what love shouldn’t be in the first place, what love should never portray. It was a spell, all his fans, including the Chat Noir fans, have put themselves under. They wanted his love only for the purpose of having it, only for wanting no one else to get in the way. To have the attention of “dating a superhero,” not to mention the status and the public eye you’d get if you happen to end up dating a superhero.

Love was nothing like that. From what he knows and from what he’s seen, he knew love was selfless, patient, kind, gentle. It was all the things he aspired to be, he wanted someone, namely Ladybug, to see him as a kind and gentle person, someone that was always there for her. He wanted to be warm for her, a warm, safe place that was always willing to give her a hug.

Luckily, she seemed to see that already. She had already pointed out that he was always gentle with her, that he was always kind and sweet with her. He loved that he was giving off that impression to her, it made him feel like he was doing something right. It was hard to find that these days.

Chat glanced back over at Ladybug, and noticed her nodding off, her head bobbing and her eyelids struggling to stay up. She seemed very tired that evening, and he worried that she might fall off a building or something while they were patrolling.

It was possible. He’s done it many times.

“C’mon,” he said, pushing himself off the wall and towards her. She watched as he approached, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion. “Let’s go get some coffee,” he said, taking her hand and trying to pull her off the wall.

He was surprised by her strength when she resisted, making him stumble back over to her, giving her a curious look.

“We can’t just show ourselves in public,” she argued, giving him an earnest look. “Someone could see us.”

“Oh, c’mon,” he complained, stepped in front of her. “It’s not like we’ll be kissing or anything.”

She gave him a half-lidded look, one of annoyance and he laughed at her.

“Look,” he started, giving her a reassuring gaze. “All I’m saying is that you’ve got nothing to worry about. As long as you keep your hands to yourself—”

“Keep _my_ hands to _myself?”_ she crossed her arms and gave him an incredulous look.

“—Then no one will think of it,” he said, pretending like he didn’t hear her. “Besides, as adorable as you are grumpy, this Ladybug is _not_ helping.”

“Oh my God.”

“You need caffeine.”

“And you need a freaking head on your shoulders.”

“Hey! That’s not very nice,” he protested, feigning offense. “I’m trying to cure your grumpiness.”

“My grumpiness needs no _curing,”_ she glared at him. “You’re just being insufferable.”

“See?” Chat snapped, gesturing at her. “Grumpy Bugaboo.”

She gave him a dark glare. “Don’t call me that.”

“Then c’mon,” he said, bouncing and whining. “Come get coffee with me. I swear, you’ll feel better.”

She was just being cocky at this point, sticking her tongue out at him while making this weird face at him. She crossed her arms and looked away, her body going rigid from all her sassiness.

He sighed, walking closer and trying to pry her arms off her. “C’mon,” he said, almost tiredly.

She fought him, “Chat—” she suddenly yelped when he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder again.

“Chat Noir!” she shrieked; embarrassment painted on her cheeks.

“Don’t make me carry you out in the street like this,” he said, his voice rising in pitch.

He felt her still completely, practically feeling the heat rising off her cheeks by the feel of his neck. He couldn’t help but snicker at her reaction, loving the way how he affected her as well.

“Okay, okay, fine,” she sighed, slapping his back to get him to put her down. “I’ll go get coffee with you!”

He grinned, before popping her off his shoulder and smiling down at her. “Good girl,” he said, patting her head.

She glanced at his hand before pushing it away, glaring at him. “You’re annoying.”

“And you’re stubborn,” he said, taking her hand and leading her into the darkening streets again.

He was happy when she didn’t let go of his hand.

. . .

Ladybug had to admit that the hot liquid running down her throat felt good against the cold night weather. The warm, sweetened brown liquid was both paid for and brought to her by none other than the alley cat sitting right next to her, sipping his own cup. He was such a standard human being, regular black coffee with sugar and creamer, while Ladybug had gotten her mint chocolate coffee that tasted better than it sounded.

Not that there was anything wrong with his simplicity, she actually liked how simple he was.

They sat under the stars, listening to the river in front of them splash against the shore and drank their coffees in comfortable silence. It felt good to be here, alone, with Chat sitting next to her. She almost felt like she could stay here all night and not get bored.

The caffeine was working quickly, her heart started beating faster, her right leg wouldn’t stop bobbing up and down, and her energy slowly started coming back.

She would never admit this out loud, because it would only add to Chat’s ego, but she realizes now that she really did need a pick me up. She was so stubborn sometimes she doesn’t even realize that she was grumpy and tired. Just for the sake of him, she should pay more attention to her energy levels or else she might say something that could hurt him.

“How you feeling over there?” his voice appeared in the silence, almost startling her. “Still feel like snapping my head off?”

She smiled, “Barely,” before finishing her coffee.

He grinned, “Good.”

He finished his before taking hers and walking to the nearby trashcan and throwing them in. He walked back over to the bench they were sitting on, then collapsed into it, sighing.

“That was definitely a good idea,” he said, watching the river. “I guess I needed some to.”

She smiled fondly at his words, “Thank you.”

He turned his gaze back to her and studied her for a second while she made a point not to meet his attentive gaze. She could feel the blush creeping up her neck and onto her cheeks from his intense stare, but he made no note of it as he refused to look away.

“Sorry about my attitude,” she said, shifting her weight and looking down. “I didn’t know I was a grumpy tired.”

He waved it off, “It’s all good, Bugaboo,” he said, flashing her a smile. “I knew you just needed a pick me up.”

She smiled at his forgiving words, finding them endearing and lovely to hear. Chat Noir has always been good at handling her, how he always knew what the right words were to say in every situation, and she couldn’t help but be grateful for that. Chat definitely had a knack for knowing her every tone and expression, memorizing the differences between sad and upset, uncomfortable and scared. He just knew her, and she guessed that was another reason why she was so attracted to him.

Another reason to love him.

“Thank you,” she suddenly said, making him look over at her. She avoided his attentive gaze while she felt the blush intensify, like a hot pad was being pressed to her face. “You know me so well, and you know exactly what I need and when I need it,” she shyly looked up at him. “You just… handle me so well.”

He furrowed his eyebrows, “Handle you?” he said, sounding a little upset. “You make it sound like you have problems.”

She looked away, “Well—”

“Stop right there, My Lady,” he said, scooting closer and meeting her eyes. “If you keep doubting yourself or putting yourself down for the way you are, I’m going to have a stroke,” he said, which made her giggle fondly at him. He reached out and took her hand, his eyes growing soft, “I don’t love you because you’re perfect, I love you for who you are.”

His words. His words were so… kind. He was so kind and good to her, she wondered how even a human could exist, always saying comforting things and always knowing what to say. Chat Noir was unlike any human she has ever met, and she couldn’t be happier that it was him that had the ring.

And yet, another reason why she loved him.

She smiled up at him, readjusting their fingers so that they laced with his. “Thanks, Kitty,” she said, not caring to hide her blush.

He smiled at her, a soft smile that had his eyes gazing at her in such a loving and caring way. He raised their interlocked hands to his face before pressing his lips to the back of her hand, her watching him the entire time.

For a moment, everything was silent, and she had the sudden need to kiss him. She started to lean in, her excitement for the kiss intensifying, but then—

“Oh. My. LADYNOIR!!!”

Ladybug and Chat flinched before whipping their head behind them and finding the most horrific scene you could think of.

A crowd of a dozen or so people, ranging from teenagers to older adults, were staring at them with enormous grins on their faces. Most of them had their phones trained on them, the light on the cameras shining brightly at them in the moonlight.

Both Ladybug’s and Chat Noir’s cheeks went red.

“Wait till the fandom gets a load of this!” a kid in the front exclaimed.

Ladybug looked over at Chat and caught his gaze, both of them frozen for a moment. They seemed to have a split-second conversation through their eyes before they both jerked upwards and ran in the other direction. There were no buildings around for a least another block, so all they could do, as the mob of “fangirls” chased after them, was run full speed.

“I can’t believe this is happening,” Ladybug grumbled, only a few steps behind him.

He turned back to her, “Well, it was bound to happen sometime.”

She glared at him, “This is all your fault.”

“My fault?” he exclaimed, turning a corner and running down the street, finally seeing buildings they were closing in on. “How is this my fault?”

“Because you had to go all romantic and kiss my hand!” she hissed, glancing behind them at the still chasing mob.

He scoffed, “Well, sorry for comforting you, My Lady.”

“I didn’t need your comfort,” she grumbled.

“Sure, you didn’t.”

“Chat Noir!”

“Grab my hand!” he said, reaching behind him. She didn’t object and grabbed his hand, before he finally reached the buildings and launched them upwards. The managed to get over the rooftops and started sprinting across the night sky with the speed of a cheetah.

The whole time, he didn’t let go of her hand, and she didn’t either.

They finally came to an alleyway below them before dropping down into it. They leaned against the opposite walls and closed their eyes, their lungs practically screaming at them to breath. They ran for so long and so hard that they ran out of breath.

“Well,” Chat finally said, gasping and holding his chest. “That was a close call.”

She gave him an incredulous look. “You think?!”

He met her eyes and for a moment, they both just stared at each other, gasping and trying to remember how to breath.

And after that tense moment passed, and the situation finally came crashing down on them. From the romantic setting to the coffee drinking, then the hand kissing he does for her to give her comfort. Everything about that moment was soft, and warm and she was just about ready to kiss him again, when suddenly the cameras started flashing and people started running after them.

The drastic change from a soft and tender moment to a ridiculous and embarrassing moment was just…

Chat let out the first snort, and before they knew it, both of them were on their butts laughing into the night. They completely broke down in laughter, and the night air was filled with just the joy and happiness they felt in that moment.

Ladybug went over next to him, still giggling and she let him hold her while they laughed, settling between his legs and his arms around her middle. He held her tightly while they giggled, and they couldn’t help but stay later that night with each other than they usually did.

They were still laughing when the mob found them again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! The next chapter is going to have Light smut in it, so just a heads up! 
> 
> Also, i don't know when I'll be able to update again just because this weekend is going to be a little crazy, plus, next week is going to be even more crazy, but i hope i can get the next chapter to you sooner or later. If you want weekly updates on when i will continue the story, follow my insta! @being_happy_official 
> 
> See you later my loves!!


	19. Rain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ladybug believes it's the best decision. For her, him, and the city. But what she doesn't know, he wasn't giving up that easily...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh my GOSH!! It's been so looooonnnngggg i've missed you guys! Anyway, sorry about all the not posting last week, i needed a week off, but i'm back and ready to go! 
> 
> Here's a long chapter to make up for the absence last week, hope you enjoy!
> 
> WARNING: LIGHT SMUT IN THIS CHAPTER.

Chapter 19: Rain

Nothing can compare to the anxiety she had that night. Sure, he’s reassured her about this, made sure she was comfortable with their newfound “relationship,” if that’s what they called it. He used his poetic way of saying things to make her feel all warm inside, made her feel safe in his line of sight.

But, as he stared her down from across the rooftop, his eyes wide and surprised when he caught the saddened look in her eyes, he knew.

Chat Noir stood there, like an awaiting angel that was willing to come down at any moment and protect her at all costs. His stance rigid, his eyes careful as he checked for any signs of trauma, her arms wrapped tightly around herself, as if she was trying to protect her vulnerable secrets from his all-knowing eyes.

He looked like an angel because the moonlight created a halo around his head. He stood there, in all his glory, looking like the safest place in the entire world.

It took everything in Ladybug not to run to him.

“Ladybug,” he said, his voice careful. He stepped towards her uneasily, “What’s wrong?”

Her spine went rigid and she looked away, hating the words. She didn’t know how to tell him this, but after the worrisome conversations she’s had, the frustrating moments when she tried to logic her way out of this situation. How every night, she stared up at the ceiling, struggling to come up with the words to tell him exactly how she feels about him, but at the same time, reject him for his own good.

He deserved better than to be led on, even if that’s not what she was doing. The night she first kissed him was true in her heart, a moment she wanted to feel, a moment that she regretted later on. She only regretted it because she realized that she was hurting in that moment, and he was there to comfort her, as always, but that isn’t fair. It isn’t fair to him that she needed comfort from him, and his lips offered it, when he was the one that purely wanted to kiss her just for the sake of romantic gestures.

So, as she stared at him, the guilt weighing on her chest like a toxic ball of dynamite with a lit fuse that was about to blow up, she hated how unfair she has been towards him.

“I’m sorry,” was all she said, her voice quiet.

He grew a confused look on his face as he stepped towards her, reaching for her hands and taking them in his. He laced them together and let them hang between them, his thumbs rubbing up and down the sides of her hands.

“Why are you sorry?” he asked gently, his eyes studying her face.

Ladybug worried her lip, staring up at him for what seemed like the last time. She hated how much she felt like she was saying goodbye to him, while at the same time, the moment felt like forever had passed.

And when it did finally pass, she felt it.

She carefully pulled her hands out of his, awkwardly fiddling with her fingers as she stepped backwards, out of his space. She felt the cold creep up her spine as she stepped out of his warm aura, his ability to make her feel warm slowly dissipating.

“I’m sorry for thinking this could work, I—” she couldn’t look at him anymore and looked down, a pinching in her heart. “I don’t want to hurt you anymore than I already have.”

“Hurt me?” Chat asked, his tone confused. “How did you hurt me?”

She looked up at him then, “When I let you kiss me.”

He stilled in front of her, and she had to watch as the anxiety she felt in her chest slowly crept into his. His breathing stalled, and his hands twitched at his sides. She couldn’t help but recognize that look on his face, the one with the furrowed eyebrows and the parted lips, the look of confused anxiety.

He finally closed his mouth and swallowed thickly, shifting awkwardly on his weight and looking down. He didn’t meet her eyes for a long moment, perhaps he was too afraid to, too scared to see the answer to the question he was about to ask too soon.

“Do…” he asked, his voice trailing of regret. “Do you regret kissing me?”

That’s when she stilled, her fingers caught on one another as she had an inner struggle with the question. The problem was that she didn’t regret kissing him because she liked kissing him, she liked to be around him and feel safe. But she did regret kissing him at the same time, because of the unfairness and toxic situation they ended up in, and they ended up kissing. She didn’t want anything in their relationship to be based off pain, instead based off truth, trust and love.

She settled on the half-truth, “No,” she said, resuming her fiddling.

Chat studied her for a moment, his eyes flicking up and down her form. “You sound unsure.”

“No, it’s just—” she stopped, already feeling her voice quavering. “Maybe it just wasn’t the right time.”

He gives her another confused look, his ears drooping, “Why wasn’t it the right time?”

She sighed, looking away from him as she practiced the words in her head, repeating them over and over as she tried to remind herself why exactly she was doing this.

“I was upset,” she said, her mouth moving like a programed machine. “I was confused, and scared, and you were there, and I just…” she trailed off, biting her lip as an attempt to not cry. “I fell apart.”

He just watched her.

“I—” her voice cracked, hating the look he was giving her now. “I don’t want what we have to only be alive when one of us is upset,” she said, which was the honest truth. “I… I want it to be ours.”

“And it isn’t?” Chat jumped in, his frustrated tone surprising her.

She breathed, “That’s not what I’m saying.”

“That sounds exactly what you’re saying,” he said, a sharpness to his voice.

She became quiet, her hands gripping her fingers in a nervous manner as she watched his face morph from worried to slightly annoyed. She crumbled at the look, and bowed her head in shame, not wanting to look at it any longer.

There was a long pause of silence between them, a silence that was deafening.

Chat sighed, “Look…” he said, his voice gentler this time, and she relaxed her shoulders at it. “I get that you’re scared, but you shouldn’t shut me out because of it.” He paused for another long moment, his eyes watching her as she kept her head bowed, but she could feel his gaze still on her, burning into her. “Ladybug, I don’t want to keep kissing you, laughing with you and pretending something is going to happen between us when, in the end, you don’t want that to happen. I’m giving you time and space about it, but… I don’t know, I just…” he trailed off, a look of fear appearing in his eyes as she looked up at him. “I’m just scared that you’re leading me on.”

“I would never do that!” she exclaimed, hurt bouncing off the walls of her heart. “Do you really think I would be that cruel?”

“Ladybug, I don’t know what to think anymore,” Chat said, his voice quivering.

That was the moment Ladybug decided to notice that he hasn’t called her ‘My Lady’ once since he arrived. The reminder hit her like a pile of coals in her stomach, burning her insides and making her chin tremble in an effort to keep her emotions bottled up.

“I just feel stupid,” he said, continuing as if he didn’t notice her inner turmoil. “Chasing around someone who’s given me half of their heart when I want all of it!” He exclaimed, not violently, but more out of frustrated sadness. “It hurts just as bad as nothing at all, maybe worse, because at least then I knew the answer, but now, staring at you as you tell me ‘this isn’t ours,’ but at the same time you’re saying you want me,” he shook his head, “It hurts, Ladybug.”

She flinched at his words, the coals only growing hotter in her stomach at the fact that she was hurting him. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“I know,” he said, his voice quiet as he twisted his body to the side a little. “I know, Ladybug, and it’s not your fault, because I want you to choose this,” he looked back at her, his eyes piercing. “But that doesn’t change the fact that it hurts. I want your heart, Ladybug, I want to be able to call you mine, I want to hold your heart in my hands and have the privilege of _calling it mine_.”

She grew a dark look on her face, her brain suddenly clouded as she stared at him. “My heart is _not_ your property.”

He stared at her for a moment, before his eyes softened in understanding, “I know,” he said, walking forward and into her space, but not touching her. “Your protective of your heart, and that’s good,” he said, studying her. “Your heart is yours, and I would never want to own it.”

“Then why are you asking for it?” she asked, her voice still laced with venom.

He stared at her for a long moment, his eyes studying hers endlessly, and making her tense muscles relax in front of him. His very eyes seemed to unfold her in all the right ways, carefully picking apart the rough edges and helping her work through her emotions. She truly didn’t deserve this angel, even when she was mad at him, he still treated her like she was his princess.

Huh, in a way, she was.

Chat finally sighed and had the nerve to take her hand, his frustrated, impatient and irritated tone leaving his voice and replacing it with the gentle and warm voice she loved so much.

“Ladybug, being someone’s property is toxic,” he said, his eyes never leaving hers. “Willingly giving someone your heart… that’s different.”

Suddenly, a roll of thunder ricochet across the sky that made her jump, before a single drop landed on the top of her head, then another one on her shoulder. In about ten seconds time, the air around them turned into a blinding sheet of rain that made everything around them invisible to the naked eye.

Ladybug raised a cupped hand and watched as the water filled inside her hand, looking out into the blinding curtain of rain. “Where did this storm come from?” she shouted over the rain, her back to him. She shivered as the cold seeped into her suit, the chill so cold it reached her skin and had her trembling in the chilly air.

“I don’t know,” Chat responded, before looking over at her. “Are you cold?”

She rubbed her arms, her teeth chattering. “Y-Yeah,” she responded.

She watched him as he pressed his lips together before looking off to the side and searching, most likely using his amazing cat vision to see through the curtain of rain. It took him a minute, but soon enough he pointed through the sheet of rain in a direction that had not significance to Ladybug, since she couldn’t see a thing.

“There, maybe a block away, _Le Grand Paris_ is just right there.” He turned to her, a challenging look in his eyes, but one still icy like the rain. “We could sneak inside a room and wait until the storm calms down.”

“Break into a hotel?” she asked incredulously. “Is that wise?”

“You’re asking the wrong guy,” he said, no humor in his voice. He turned back to her, nodding in the direction of the hotel. “Want to get out of the rain or not?”

. . .

Ladybug knew this was a bad idea, she knew this was going to end badly, and she was almost one hundred percent certain that someone would spot them before they could get out of the rain. They’ve done things like this before, sneaking into abandoned buildings for shelter from the storm, although, it wasn’t very often. They didn’t get that many storms that forced them to take cover, but when a storm did hit, it came down so hard that it was almost impossible to see three feet in front of them. Which makes it impossible to make it home in this sheet of water coming from the sky.

Chat Noir took the lead, making sure she was close by as he scaled the wall for an unlocked window to a vacant room. It took a while, and some serious superhero skill to climb the complicated wall with many open blinds as people inside watched the storm.

Finally, they came to a small vacant room with a balcony and a sliding door that glided open once Chat unlocked it with his claws. They both hurried inside, afraid of prying eyes and the cold sheet of rain that was coming down even harder now. There was another bolt of lightning that streaked across the sky as soon as Chat closed the door.

The room was silent besides their whimpers from the cold and the rain pounding on the glass door. They were on the top level of the hotel, with the most vacancies, and they could hear the rain pounding on the roof. The room was eerie without the light, and the only light source was the occasional lightning bolt from outside.

Unable to see, Ladybug let Chat move past her towards the light switch, which flicked on a single lamp in the corner of the room, shadows still dancing across the floor and walls. He stepped inside the bathroom and turned on the light, the brightness falling outside and onto the floor of the room. He shuffled around in there a moment, before coming back out, turning the light off as he did.

He was holding two towels, and he stopped in front of her and held out a towel in front of her. They were both soaking wet at that point, shivering underneath their suits; towels seemed like the right move.

She hesitantly took it from his hand, meeting his eyes. “Thank you,” she said, her voice quiet.

He gave her a soft look but didn’t respond, instead passing her and bringing out his own towel, facing away from her as he started drying himself off.

She watched him for a moment, studying his back muscles as he dried his chest and face. They bulged and tensed as he dried himself off, his muscles very visible to her through his suit. She dared to drop her gaze lower, and felt her face go red as she realized just how cute his backside was.

Feeling her gaze on him, he turned around to meet her eyes, and she flinched when he did. She immediately averted her eyes and went to drying herself off, taking out the ribbons in her hair and putting the towel over her head. She used the moment, where her face was covered to breath and not focus on how toned and muscular Chat Noir really was.

She dug her fingernails into her scalp through the towel, making a mental note to herself not to study Chat’s body in close courters and in a hot room. Was it hot in here?

Furious with herself, she whipped the towel off her head, which resulted in her whacking the table in front of her and spilling a bunch of brochures and menus. She cursed and knelt down to clean her mess, talking aimlessly to herself. She quickly picked them up and set them up on the table again, huffing as she subconsciously turned her gaze to Chat.

She found him staring at her with a mix of confusion and admiration, his head slightly tilted to the side.

She stilled under his gaze, “What?”

He flinched at her voice, his cheeks going slightly red, “Ah, sorry, it’s—it’s nothing.” He turned away again, his eyes saying otherwise as they calculated something.

She gave him a confused look before going back to drying her body. She didn’t look at him for another minute, but when she did, she caught him staring again.

“What?” she asked, throwing up her hands while still holding the towel.

He shook his head, still watching her and said almost in a daze, “Nothing.”

She gave him a look, “Well, stop looking at me like that.”

That’s when he became confused, “Like what?”

“Like you love me,” she said, meeting his eyes almost as a challenge. She hadn’t meant for the words to come out of her mouth, almost like she was mocking him, but they did nonetheless, and it sent a shock of guilt to her stomach.

Chat’s eyes softened at that, “Well, I do.”

Ladybug dropped the towel, not expecting his kind words after her tasteless ones.

“Also,” Chat said, gesturing at her as she reached down for the towel again, tossing it away from her. “I’ve never seen you with your hair down,” he said, smiling at her.

Her eyes widened and a furious blush exploded on her face as she looked away. She turned her back on him and reached for her hair again, “Sorry,” she mumbled, beginning to put her hair up again.

She nearly jumped out of her skin when he placed a hand on her shoulder, turning her around gently and taking her hands carefully, as if he wasn’t allowed to.

“Don’t be,” he said, his voice quiet as he reached up to her, taking a strand of damp hair in his fingers and studying it carefully. “I like it down,” he said, meeting her eyes again.

She stared up at him, surprised by his gentleness. Of course, Chat has never been a violent person, but she was surprised when a few minutes ago, he was as cold as the rain outside. But right now, he was suddenly as warm as a night spring breeze that had her sighing in contentment. But she knew that this moment could only last so long, and if she didn’t step away now, she would do something she would regret.

She cleared her throat, looking down. She carefully removed herself from his embrace and stepped back, brushing a strand of hair from her face while her cheeks burst with color.

Chat watched her carefully, a glint of hurt reflecting in his eyes as he bowed his head in shame, not willing to meet her eyes. “My Lady, I’m sorry.”

She looked up at that, furrowing her eyebrows. The nickname felt good to hear nonetheless, but it sounded strange with his saddened tone and his sorrowful eyes.

“I understand that you needed time, and this ‘kissing but we’re not really together’ thing wasn’t helping.” He looked up at her, his expression pained, “You deserve better than me getting frustrated with you because you’re still choosing. It’s not fair, you deserve better than that… better than me.”

She could only stare at him, taken aback by his unneeded apology. He shouldn’t be apologizing, none of this was his fault, he wasn’t the one in the wrong here. She was the one that needed to apologize, that needed to let him know that was she was doing was unfair to him. She shouldn’t’ve led him on only to realize their first kiss was when she was hurting, and therefore, it didn’t count. She wanted to be with him, but not if it was only going to be when either one of them were hurting.

She loved him too much to allow that.

“I said the night of our first kiss that I wanted you,” she said suddenly, surprising herself when she heard herself talk. He looked up to watch her, and she didn’t look away from his gaze that locked onto hers. “But then I said I needed time but then I continued to kiss you and—” she stopped, cringing at her own stupidity. “I was dumb and insensitive to what I was making you believe; that what we had was enough, when it wasn’t enough, for both of us.” She looked down, her own shame weighing down on her like a piece of brick. “I’m sorry, Chat Noir.” 

When she said his full name like that, he knew it was serious.

He was silent for a long moment, the air between them suffocating her and threatening to make her cry. She squeezed her eyes shut, hating the wetness that was already forming behind her eyelids. She couldn’t cry, not when she was to one hurting him.

This was yet another time she was hurting him. And she hated herself for it.

“What if we start over?”

She jerked her head up to him, not hiding the wetness about to spill from her eyelids. “What?”

“What if we start over?” he asked again, his tone less heavy then before. “We can start over as friends, partners… together, nonetheless.” He shrugged, giving her a hesitant, gentle look. “It’s up to you, but I’m down for whatever you’re comfortable with.”

She let a tear fall from her eye and watched as Chat saw it and grew a guilty look on his face. “Did I make you cry?” he asked.

Her face contorted and she looked down, shaking her head and not bothering to respond as a sob ricochet inside her body.

“Oh, God, I’m sorry,” he said, stepping forward and rubbing his hands up and down her arms, watching her. “I’m sorry, I’m so stupid—” He was interrupted when Ladybug crashed into him, wrapping her arms around his middle and hugging him tightly, the sobbing ceasing.

He didn’t hesitate to hug her back.

After a long, tense moment of just holding one another, Ladybug finally leaned back, not bothering to untangle herself from him while she met his eyes.

“I would like to start over,” she said, burying her face back into his chest. “I should’ve taken the first step instead of skipping it right to the second.”

He was quiet a moment, swaying with her in his arms. “And the first step is…?”

She sighed and stepped out of his embrace, so that she could see his face while she asked him. She fiddled with her fingers in front of her, staring into his eyes for a long moment before looking down, a blush on her cheeks.

“To… to ask you to be… um, m-my boyfriend?” she said, not daring to meet his eyes.

His eyes widened, “Wait, _what_?”

She met his eyes this time, stilling her fingers as she watched him stare at her, his eyes wide and his jaw slack.

Anxiety crept in before she had time to react, “Do… do you want to be my b-boyfriend?” she asked, cringing as she stuttered on her words.

He only stared at her, his body still and his face in full surprise.

She took it as a bad sign and looked down, “I’d understand if you said no.”

He shook himself out, the statement jerking him out of his stupor. “No?” he questioned, confusion in his voice. “Why would I say no?”

She looked up at him, her own nervousness creeping back in. “Well, b-because—”

“My Lady,” he said, walking closer and taking her hand, caressing it with his thumb. “I wouldn’t say no if I had to wait another three years,” he said, stepping into her space. “I’ve said this before, Ladybug,” he smiled at her, reaching up and cupping her cheek with his hand. “My love for you is not fragile.”

Another roll of thunder boomed outside, and Ladybug jerked her head in the direction of the window, remembering where they were and why they were here. The rain pouring outside indicated they were going to be here for a while, and the idea made her think about when she’d get home, what were her parents doing right now.

But all those thoughts stilled as he reached out to her again, cupping her cheek and tracing his thumb over her bottom lip, making a chill go down her spine.

“I love you, Ladybug,” he said, his voice almost a whisper. “And I don’t need to know your name to know that I do.” He smiled at her, sweetly as he continued to caress her bottom lip, liking how it quivered at his touch. “And I’m really hoping you’d let me, because I really want to kiss you right now.”

She was eager for his touch, and she nodded immediately when he was done talking.

He leaned down and didn’t hesitate to place his lips over hers, gently caressing her lips with his own. Their shadows danced across the floor, a gentle atmosphere that cascaded through her body and made her feel warm and at home inside. She reached up and placed a hand on his hip, letting her hand rest there. He stepped closer to her, kissing her again and letting his other arm wrap around her waist, pulling her body flush against him.

She felt something shift in the kiss as his tongue flicked into her mouth, sending a pleasant feeling down her spine, and she moaned against him.

He reacted to the sound, pushing her backwards until she was against the wall, the kiss steadily growing more heated and more desperate, but still gentle all the same. His body pressed into hers, making her feel surrounded and warm as he refused to let her go, continuing to kiss her senseless, only breaking apart for a few seconds to breath before resuming.

“Wait, wait,” she said, just as a feeling jumped in her chest, a possibility that exhilarated her and made her nervous. She looked up at him, anxiety in her eyes, “Are we moving too fast?”

He reached up and brushed the hair from her face, “Do you think so?”

She swallowed, already feeling nervous about something that didn’t need to happen. Something that could wait for another time, something she did not need to give into. Something that was her choice.

But her heart took over, and so did her want. “No,” she said, watching for his reaction. “Do you?”

He shook his head, understanding growing in his eyes. “No.”

She felt something stir within her, a chill that resonated from the bottom of her spine all the way to the top of her head, making her feel dizzy. Her legs began to tremble in anticipation, and she looked down as her heart threatened to give out.

He watched her, “My Lady, we don’t have to. It’s your choice.”

She sighed, a shaky breath escaping her lungs. “I know,” she said, before raising her gaze to meet his. “But… I want to.”

His eyes widened in surprise, “Really?” he asked. He reached and cupped her face with both hands, lowering to her eye level. “Are you sure?”

She nodded, sure of herself. “I’m sure.”

He nodded his head back at her, “Listen, you have the control, okay? If you want to stop, we stop, if it’s too much, tell me, if I’m hurting you—” he choked, horrified by the idea. “Please, tell me. That’s the last thing I want to do.”

She nodded in understanding, “I understand.”

**< Light Smut Warning>**

He met her eyes for a moment, staring at her with a gentle smile on his face. He leaned forward and kissed her gently, pulling her off the wall and against him again. She was shaking from head to toe, her limbs trembling in nervousness and excitement that resonated in her bones. She was afraid she wasn’t going to be able to hold herself up, but his strong arms wrapped around her and lifted her off her feet. She was forced to wrap her legs around his waist, and shuddered when his center pressed against hers, anticipation pulsing through her body.

He pressed her back against the wall, and she let out a whimpering breath as he pressed more into her, another shock going down her spine. His clawed hands scratched gently on the underside of her thighs, making her go wild and scream inside her mind.

“Chat,” she said, breathless as a thought occurred to her. He continued to kiss her, the corner of her mouth, forcing her head back against the wall as he kissed her jawline and neck. She let out a shaky breath, lost in the feeling that it took everything in her to force her out of her words.

“Chat, the suits,” she said, his gentle kissing continuing.

“I’ve got it, My Lady,” he said, his claws burying into her suit. The suit surprisingly gave way from his claws as four claw marks appeared in her suit, revealing her skin.

Another shock of lightning went down her spine, and she had to look away from it, forcing her mind to work again.

“Do… _ah,”_ he sucked on the spot right behind her ear and her train of thought completely left her. “Chat…”

“Don’t worry, My Lady,” he said, his voice low and warm. “They have them in the drawers. It’s fine.”

She nodded, and she finally decided to let go, trusting him.

And just like that, her resolve crumbled.

She couldn’t control herself even if she wanted to, she couldn’t control the whimpers, moans and all the sounds that left her lips that night. She couldn’t control herself when he gently tore away her suit using his claws, not leaving claw marks. The only marks he left on her were the small bruises he left on her skin; in places she didn’t even realize were possible.

He was so careful and gentle with her, making sure she had consented every single time he did something, every single time he touched her, kissed her, and caused her pleasure.

When she finally let him see her at her most exposed, trusting him with the sight, trusting him with his gentle hands, all he could do was smile widely at her, his grin promising magical things.

And magical they were.

The feeling was unlike anything she’s ever felt before, a pressure just between her hips, a warmth spreading throughout her body. All her nerves seemed to go numb and only reacted to the way she was worked between her legs, making her lose control completely. He had laid her down on the bed, kissed her deeply before moving to her center, asking her permission before he did anything else.

She moved with him, the scene playing in her head at slow motion, his hands making her tremble beneath his touch. She bit her lip, to try and stop the sounds from escaping her but they eventually couldn’t be held back when he encouraged her to just feel, and let go. She had given up when he said that, feeling the pressure rise and rise and rise, until she was a desperate, sweaty mess, and his words were not helping one bit.

He didn’t let her come the first time, her almost crying as he refused when her insides felt a tight sensation practically breaking inside her. He was smiling as she begged him to release her, to let her feel the pleasure rake across her body in powerful waves. He was teasing her, and she utterly hated him for it.

But that was all before she realized she could torture him just the same.

This time, she was the one that tore off the rest of his suit, his top half already exposed since he didn’t want to touch her with his claws. He teased him once she had forced him on his back, smirking as he refused to give into the feeling at first, but once she surrounded him, he practically was whining like a little kitten. She tortured him with the feeling, not letting up on the pressure but also refusing to go faster, slowly building his wall just so she could knock it down.

But like he did with her, she refused to allow him the release.

That was her mistake.

He flipped her on her back again, and trailed kisses down her front, his lips smiling when she released another sound from her lips. She wasn’t feeling out of control yet, since he only seemed to tease her with his lips against her completely bare body. She felt cocky, teasing him and telling him that he was off his game, that he should learn a thing or two.

“Oh, My Lady,” he said, his lips trailing down her abs. “Be patient.”

She was, and she realized pretty quickly just how wrong she was. He knew what he was doing, and she should’ve known that if he knew how to work her with his hands, he certainly knew how to work her with his tongue.

This was a more intense feeling, but a gentler one at the same time. He was already gentle with her when he used his hands, but when he sank into her depths with his tongue, she couldn’t hold back. She completely melted under him, losing all sense from around her and only focusing on the intense feeling between them.

He still didn’t let her fall.

She was about to flip him back over and do the same to him when he leaned over her, catching her gaze again. She stilled under him, and an overwhelming feeling of love over came her as she stared into his eyes, watching as they studied her behind the mask, the mask they both still wore.

There was one more wall between them, even at their most vulnerable.

He reached up and brushed the matted, sweaty hair from her forehead, staring down at her lovingly. He smiled gently down at her, “Are you sure, My Lady?”

She stared up at him for a moment, watching as he listened for her response. There was no begging, no irritation, no franticness. There was only patience behind his eyes, his only concern for her in that very delicate, intimate moment.

She leaned up and kissed him, deep and slow. When they parted, she met his eyes, smiling up at him while brushing his bangs from his face. “I’m sure, Kitty.”

And so, began multiple things. How he made a show of protecting her against his own body, making sure she saw he had the condom on. He helped her settle before he lined himself up with her, making sure she was comfortable and okay. She was nervous and anxious, but she assured him that she was alright.

He trembled above her, no doubt he was nervous to, and she reached out and cupped his cheek, stroking her thumb against his cheek bone. He leaned down to kiss her again, both of them were shaking at that point.

“Chat, it’s okay,” she whispered, pressing her forehead against his. “I’m okay.”

He nodded, “Okay,” he said. He leaned back to lock eyes with her, “Can I…?”

She nodded, “Yeah.”

He nodded again, before pressing his forehead against hers. She held her breath as she felt him press against her entrance, and she stilled completely. She whimpered when he pressed against her more, feeling her muscles working around him, pulling him in as much as he pushed. She gripped his shoulder harder, biting her lip as she felt him press more into her, slowly and carefully sliding into her. She let out a whimpered gasp when he pressed fully into her, shaking from head to toe.

And then, came the most intimate experience she has ever allowed herself to feel. She never left his eyes as he moved against her, the feeling overwhelming her in an intense, gentle and tight manner. She would open her mouth and jerk against him, closing her eyes sometimes as she felt herself being pushed further.

He pushed her carefully, but ruthlessly, his pace only steadily growing until she asked him to go faster, wanting to fall. She never knew she could feel this tight, feel this loved and cared for in such an intimate, vulnerable way. She has had her fair share of gentle innocence with him and other guys, but this… this was unlike anything she has ever experienced.

Intense. Gentle. Intimate. Vulnerable. She loved all of it.

And when she finally met the edge, the feeling building suddenly so rapidly, she said his name, multiple times, scared that this wasn’t supposed to happen, scared that the feeling might hurt her. She held back, somehow holding onto the intense feeling, wanting a release but at the same time, scared of the feeling.

“It’s okay, I’m not going to hurt you,” he said, continuing his pace, his skin gleaming with sweat. “Just let go, okay? I promise, it’s only scary for a moment.”

“I’m scared,” she whimpered, not able to open her eyes or say anything else.

“I know,” he said gently. “Trust me, it’ll feel good.”

Her resolve melted, and she let go. She arched her back and cried out, an intense, scary feeling overwhelming her as she tumbled off the edge. She tensed hard around him, and the sight of her vulnerable side opening up for only him to see sent him off the edge after her. She doesn’t remember much from that moment, only that there was a slight pain that sparked between her legs, making her flinch more as she came, but the good feeling was too much for her to give it much thought.

**< End of Smut>**

Ladybug breathed, her chest pressing against his as he buried his face further into her neck, nuzzling her lovingly as an afterglow settled between them. They laid in silence for a long time, just listening to the other breathing gently, the darkness of the room surrounding them. The lamp in the corner was illuminating the room only a little bit.

Chat groaned and leaned back to look at her, the glow on his face making him look beautiful above her. “You okay?” he asked, rubbing a hand up her side.

She smiled at the affection, nodding up at him. “I’m okay.”

He nodded, still studying her face. He stared at her for a long moment, before dropping his gaze between them, then pulling himself out of her. She groaned at the action, and he looked at her curiously, wondering if she was okay.

“What?” he asked, leaning back on his heals.

She shook her head, “Nothing,” she said, sitting up to follow him, her legs still spread for him. “It just hurt a little, it’s fine.”

He grew a worried look on his face, and she rushed to reassure him.

“Kitty, I’m okay,” she said, taking his hand. “It’s normal for it to hurt.”

He sighed, before flicking his gaze between her legs. He furrowed his eyebrows and prodded her legs more open, noticing the red stain between her thighs.

“That’s normal to,” she reassured, tilting his chin up. She met his eyes and locked them in place, “I’m okay.”

He nodded, “Okay,” he said, not looking too convinced. He reached out and took her hand, along with the towels on the floor and handing them to her. He pulled her off the bed and led her to the bathroom, where he flicked on the blinding light.

“What are we doing?” she asked, shying away from the light.

He took her hand and reached for the shower curtain, pushing it open and turning on the water.

She couldn’t help but smile at him as he turned back to her. “You really are a hopeless romantic, aren’t you?”

He grinned, shrugging. “What can I say?” he said, taking her hand and pulling her towards the shower. “The rain makes me hopeless.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well.
> 
> That happened. 
> 
> Hope you enjoyed! I decided to take a different approach with the smut this time, just because I wanted it to be more poetic rather than description. Anyways, hope you enjoyed!


	20. Deja vu

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chat Noir is a sweetheart. No other explanation needed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really love this chapter, and i refuse to write Chat as a perverted cat like some people do (trust me, i've read fanfics like that.)
> 
> Enjoy;)

Chapter 20: Déjà vu

“What are you doing back there?”

“It’s called affection, now hold still!”

“Chat, I’m not a little kid, you know.”

“I know that,” Chat said, glancing down at the back of her head. Her hair was matted to her bare skin, soap running down her spine and making him feel a little lightheaded. He reached out with the soapy rag again, dragging it down her back and gently rubbing it against her skin. “I just wanted to try this,” he said, not missing the way she sighed at his touch.

“Whatever,” Ladybug said, not making any move to step away. “Just know I’m tolerating you at this point.”

“Tolerating me?” he asked incredulously, stopping his washing.

She turned around then, giving him a smug look as he pouted in front of her. “Yes,” she said, her tone mocking. “Tolerating you.”

He shook his head and pressed his lips together, not leaving her eyes. “You’re still stubborn, you know that, right?”

She grinned, “I thought that was your favorite part about me.”

He hummed, pushing the soaking wet hair out of her face, “True,” he said, before meeting her eyes again. “But there are also other parts…” he said, his eyes teasing as they dipped down.

She playfully slapped his chest, him chuckling as she did so.

“Pervert,” she mumbled, turning back around.

He smiled as he continued his ministrations, loving the way she leaned into his touch.

“Let’s not forget who was having the first thoughts about—”

“You can stop right there, cat-boy,” she said, her tone lowered in annoyance.

He chuckled again, “Hey, tell me I’m wrong.”

Pause.

“You’re not.”

He grinned, continuing on his way to gently scrub her very clean skin. Of course, he knew that it was perfectly clean, he should know, since he scrubbed most of it anyways. But he loved the way the soap ran down her spine, and the way her skin gleamed from the cleanliness, and the way she leaned her head back in content. Her hair stuck to her skin, and her body was so close to his, he could feel the slight self-consciousness that floated around her aura.

He could tell just by the way she shifted from foot to foot, fiddled with her fingers in front of her, and continued to fall into these uneasy silences that seemed to drown out the conversation. She looked like she was having this slight inner turmoil with herself, one that was consuming her and making her fall into a deeper hole she didn’t need to fall into.

Of course, he’s always known Ladybug was not the person to go to when looking for self-confidence or self-love advice. Just putting it out there, and it was the truth. There’s nothing wrong with that, he’s just wording his concern for her and her own self-consciousness. Yes, she was amazing at loving and caring for others, but when was the last time she’s loved or cared about herself?

Chat Noir, and there’s no way of putting it lightly, so forgive him, has always liked the front side of Ladybug’s body. First off, it’s not as weird and perverted as it sounds. When he first met her, while real perverts would’ve had unholy thoughts about her, he had a completely different perspective.

She was clumsily, out of order, and he honestly thought he was going to be the one to hold this team together. He had nothing against her, just sometimes when there’s an akuma threatening innocent lives, you have to have a different thought process.

She was cute, but not leadership worthy.

But then, she pulled herself together, and kicked ass.

He knew right then and there, their first akuma they defeated, that he would follow her anywhere, do anything for her, and sacrifice from his free time to giving up his life for her, he would. That’s when he fell for her, and the physical things only came along much later.

She was beautiful, her eyes sparkled like large pools of ocean water in the moonlit rooftops of Paris. Her lips always had a shining glow to it, like she was wearing some form of chap stick, strawberry most likely. Her freckles were more visible at night, small sun kissed areas on her face that only added to her out of this world beauty.

She only started developing womanly curves when she turned sixteen, which she was both happy and sad about. Of course, that was when the harassment started, and she started becoming a lot more emotional than usual. Which was fine, he was okay with that, but she grew out of it and is more mature now. It’s just something most teenage girls have to go through he guessed.

She grew into her curves, her face thinned then she lost all her baby fat, and when she turned seventeen… oh man. It was like fireworks and sirens went off at the same time. Ladybug has always been pretty, beautiful even, but her maturity combined with her thinned face and beautifully carved out curves that God himself must’ve made, it was just… beautiful.

He was always in awe with her stupidly amazing beauty, and it wasn’t just the physical appearance, it was the way she portrayed herself, and fought for others.

But she was still self-conscious, and the fact that she’s shy and not letting him see the front of her when he’s literally touched, kissed and traced every inch of her, was both adorable, and sad to see. He hated how much the girl he loved, didn’t see or love herself the way he does.

He leaned down and pressed a delicate kiss to the back of her neck, she tensed at the action but only to shiver from his sudden closeness. He let the kiss linger before nuzzling his nose deeper into her hair, hearing her hum in contentment at the warm feeling.

They stayed like that for a minute.

“The water’s gonna get cold,” Ladybug said, her voice echoing around the bathroom walls.

Chat snorted, before leaning back to look at her before remembering that she was faced away. He wilted at the reminder, and almost whined like a pathetic kitten before realizing that would raise some red flags.

Instead, he cleared his throat and stepped back to give her a little space. “It’s a hotel, the water won’t get cold.”

There was a pause, where she sighed and tensed her shoulders, hunching them up to her ears and wrapping her arms around herself. He recognized the action, a movement she does when she feels vulnerable and uncomfortable. A way she doesn’t want to feel, and here he was, causing that very feeling.

He sighed sadly and looked off to the side, “You want to get out?”

She nodded quickly, “Yeah,” she said, before removing the curtain herself and stepping out almost too quickly.

He frowned at it but followed her anyway. He watched as she quickly wrapped herself with a towel, and then finally turned to him with a blush on her cheeks, shyly handing him another towel. Her eyes looked strained, almost bloodshot, like she was doing everything in her power not to look down.

She’s seen him, and he’s been naked many times in front of people, so he’s used to it when people can’t look away. It’s weird, but normal for him since… well, it’s him, not to be egotistical about it.

He took the offered towel from her and wrapped it around his waist, mostly so she could have some relief from straining those pretty eyes of hers. Her shoulders visibly fell with relief and she turned slightly away, her cheeks blossoming with color as she reached for the door handle. He followed her out into the small hallway and back into the main bedroom area, where he spotted some cotton white robes in a closet. He took them out and wrapped himself in one, since putting back on his suit sounded restricting, and Ladybug’s suit was totaled at this point.

He outstretched the extra robe to her and waited patiently for her as she slowly took it from his hands. She quickly turned away and let the towel fall to the ground, flashing only a glimpse of her skin before she wrapped herself in the robe. She avoided his gaze, her blushing cheeks clearly stating she was embarrassed as she looked at anything but him.

“I wish you wouldn’t do that,” Chat suddenly said, breaking the awkward silence between them.

Ladybug turned back to him, her curiosity more apparent than her embarrassment. “Do what?” she asked.

He stared at her for a second, before closing his mouth in decision, and a glimpse of hurt flickered in his eyes like a fiery flame that could ruin everything if only he added to the fire.

“Hide from me,” he said, watching her reaction.

She closed her mouth in response, turning her glassy eyes away from him and staring at the wall. The lamp in the corner still gave off an eerie vibe to it, and he couldn’t help but notice the way the shadows landed on her face. The light the side turned away from him, making the side of her face turned towards him darker and looking more tired than she actually was.

Maybe she was tired, but not physically. Maybe she was tired of all those poetic, pulling and pressuring questions he asked her, making sure she was okay. Chat Noir has always been a deep person, Ladybug, she was different. She has always been very guarded, especially with her identity and any personal information. But, in the past few years, Ladybug has turned into one of the most valued friends he has, and something more at this point.

However, she still acted like she needed to hide everything, and that everything was making her fall to the ground in agony, crushed by the sheer anxiety that ricochet across her heart. He knew what anxiety felt like, his home life said enough of it, and the fact that Ladybug deals with the same amount of pressure from millions of people, kills him.

Having anxiety is like holding a loaded gun with your hand on the trigger, pointing at the target. Except, you didn’t believe you were going to hit the target, rather, the bullet would hit you, even though it is almost impossible that it would since it’s facing away from you. Making up bad scenarios in your head and fearful that they were going to happen, so you never pull the trigger, even if it was your only shot at something.

“Sorry,” she said finally, the silence dragging on for a long time. “Sorry, I… I just—”

“Hey, whoa, it’s okay,” he said, reaching out to steady her tensing shoulders. She took a shaky breath and he watched her for a moment, admiring how her muscles seemed to relax under his touch. “You don’t need to be sorry,” he said, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “Just…” he met her eyes hesitantly, “Just… tell me why you’re hiding from me.”

She paused for a moment. “I… I’m not hiding—”

“My Lady,” he said gently, stepping closer. “Please.”

She stared up at him for a long moment, caught between the moment of silence they were having that spoke more words that he could’ve imagined, but also screamed how much he was right. He hated being right about these things, especially when it came to Ladybug.

“I…” she trailed off, looking off to the side. He waited patiently. “I just… I can’t show everything, I’m just—self-conscious.” She rushed out the words like they were laced with venom, trying to get them out and watch as the acid bubbled on the ground.

“Why?” he asked, taking her hand. “I’ve seen you, you don’t need to be embarrassed with me.”

She sighed, “That’s the problem.”

He furrowed his eyebrows, “What do you mean?”

She met his eyes after what felt like forever, her eyes glassy from the embarrassment, and the vulnerable place he was putting her in. He was okay with making her feel a little vulnerable if it meant she was okay with how she felt about herself in the end. Sometimes the ends do justify the means.

“You are… the one person I feel completely safe with,” she said, not leaving his eyes. He flushed at the honor, warmed by the fact that he could have that privilege of being that special someone.

“You’ve seen every part of me,” she said, her cheeks burning. “You have done things to me that… that felt _so good,_ and I wasn’t in my right mind to feel self-conscious in that moment, but…” she shrugged, her resolve crumbling. “Now that I’m thinking about it, I…” she shook her head, trying to find the words. “I don’t know, I’m just scared you’re disgusted about… about the parts of me that are… different from yours…”

“Wait,” he said, his mind working overtime. “So, you’re self-conscious because I’m a guy, and you’re a girl, and I might be weirded out by the fact that… you are a girl?”

Her cheeks flushed and she nodded slowly.

He stared at her for a long moment, processing this information. He watched as her face muscles became more strained as he held his gaze, not looking away from her.

“My Lady,” he said, almost tiredly. He reached out and took her hand, pulling her forward. He could feel the way her anxiety jumped by how her eyes widened at the sudden closeness.

“You don’t need to feel embarrassed with me,” he said, rubbing his hand along her knuckles. He felt the way she seemed to relax her chest, relax her muscles, and relax her brain by the way she reacted to his presence. If she thought he was calming and safe to her, then he was going to live up to the honor. He wouldn’t give up that honor and privilege for the world. 

“I’m sorry,” she said, looking down and laughing dryly. She shook her head sadly, “It’s not like I’m… embarrassed about my body, I’m just… not used to being vulnerable like that.”

“I know,” he rushed, trying to reassure her. “You’ve said that before, and I understand.” He watched her as she refused to look back up, somewhat struggling to meet his eyes.

“You know,” he said, which caught her attention enough for her to look back up. “It’s not something you need to be worried about. It’s pretty normal.”

She furrowed her eyebrows, “To be self-conscious?”

He bobbed his head back in forth, “Yeah,” he said, then he gave her a serious smile that was completely fake. “But I was going to say, it’s pretty normal for girls to have vaginas.”

Ladybug suddenly flushed, her mouth dropping in shook.

“Oh, and those,” he said, gesturing at her breasts.

She subconsciously covered her chest with her arms, “C-Chat!”

“What?” he asked all innocently, a playful smile on his face. “It’s normal.”

“I know! But—” she cringed. “It was just—ugh, weird that you said it.”

“What?” he asked, a smile still plastered on his lips. “Vagina?”

She cringed again and shivered, “Stop,” she warned.

“Were you surprised when you saw I have… manly parts?” he said, his voice still teasing.

She flushed again, “No,” she said quietly. “It’s just… new.”

He softened, dropping the teasing atmosphere. He studied her for a moment, her eyes avoiding his, her cheeks flushed, and her eyebrows furrowed in annoyance. She looked uncomfortable, avoidant, and a little more closed up than he would’ve liked. He suddenly realized, with a kick to the balls, that this could probably be a sensitive topic for her, that teasing her about being self-conscious could make it worse.

Therefore, making her even more self-conscious.

Suddenly he felt like the embarrassed one.

He stepped forward, “Hey,” he said, reaching out to her. He tugged on her arm and pulled her more to him, where she resisted at first, but his touch has always softened her up, so she soon was glued to the ground only inches away from him, where he liked her to be.

“Sorry,” he said, his tone softer. “I guess I thought it was a little… well, stupid that you thought that way because that’s what I was expecting. I’m not disgusted or grossed out that you have different parts of you that I don’t have, in fact, it’s fascinating. It gives me a chance to see a completely different body other than my own. Even better, it’s yours.” He lowered down to eye level with her and smiled lightly, his eyes bright. “By seeing you, I could feel you, by feeling you, I reached a high I have never felt before, and that is absolutely beautiful to me.” He pointed at her, not leaving her eyes, “Ever womanly part, piece and essence of you, is beautiful. Don’t ever think of yourself as anything less.”

She only stared at him, her eyes becoming misty.

“You’re a woman,” he said, smiling at her. “Be proud of that.”

She wouldn’t leave his gaze for a long, long time. It was a comfortable moment, like sitting beside a river in complete silence with absolutely no one around. You feel safe and comfortable, and yet the river seems to want to talk with you, spouting out random splashes of anything.

Ladybug was like a river, gentle and quiet in some areas, but strong and confident in others.

All of a sudden, her cheeks flushed, and she grew a horrified look on her face. She quickly looked away like she had been staring at something she really shouldn’t be staring at. Like she’s been caught in the act of doing something.

“S-Sorry!” she spluttered; her embarrassment clear through how shaky her voice got. “I-I should—I shouldn’t’ve—” She groaned in frustrating, “I can’t believe this is happening.”

Something happened to Chat Noir in that moment, like an ocean of warmth passed through his chest and all the way to his stomach, where he grew a pit of anxiety. His heart jumped, and he suddenly felt like he was going to be sick. Not sick as in disgusted, but sick in realization when something hits you hard.

 _No,_ he thought. _No, I am not that lucky. Nor that stupid._

It was impossible, it _had_ to be impossible. There was no other explanation other than it _being_ impossible. And he knows he’s saying impossible a lot but that’s just the situation he’s in, and it’s keeping him sane at the moment.

Because… that was impossible and having thoughts like that would make him go insane.

Especially about _her._

“Chat?”

He suddenly jumped back to reality and looked back down at her, finding her concerned eyes that looked so blue and familiar… crazy thinking.

“W-What?” he asked, his brain rebooting.

“You okay?” she asked, touching his arm. “You… looked like you were going to be sick.”

“U-uh,” he stuttered, his face going red. “Y-Yeah, no, just—” he reached up and scratched the back of his neck, looking away as he continued. “You just… reminded me of someone. That’s all.”

She didn’t respond, instead looked away with a guilty look in her eyes. Although, he didn’t understand why.

“Huh,” was all she said. She looked down, her cheeks a little pink, “Okay.”

Awkward silence.

Even the silence was familiar.

_Shut up, brain._

“A-Anyway,” he said, which brought her eyes back up to his. He looked around for something to break the silence, to break the tension that had settled between them. His eyes caught the bed, and he couldn’t help by grin.

He had a _very_ effective plan.

“So,” he said, turning back to her. He gestured at the bed, “Cuddles?”

She grinned, and he couldn’t help but get annoyed with himself about how much her smile reminded him of… someone that had the same hairstyle… same eyes… same smile…

But, after all, love is still blind. And if he is in love, he was in the dark.

He just didn’t know it yet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AHHH the next chapter is REVEAL!!!! I'm so excited!!! OMG you guys don't know how long i've been planning this. Enjoy!


	21. Reveal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Going back and forth, until they see each other's faces.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is! The moment you all have been waiting for! I'm so excited to show you guys the next few chapters!!
> 
> Enjoy :)

Chapter 21: Reveal

They let their guard down, like the falling of a leaf in autumn, like the night turning to day when the golden sunlight finally rolls off the final hours of slumber. The moon went into hiding, and the sun came out to play early. The morning hours came quickly, and the sunlight streamed across the city of Paris. Shadows the light created lengthened from the sun rising, the streetlights turning off and the windows of the shops opening. The breeze turned warm, and the sky turned blue into a welcoming embrace that wrapped the city in a comfortable afterglow.

Moments like this were perfect. And the somber night had left a dreamless sleep for the ones who let their guard down.

As the sun rose and cascaded a golden glow onto the streets of Paris, the shadows and the moonlight faded away, leaving behind a tranquil feeling of comfort.

The people of the city were waking up, getting ready for their jobs and kissing their significant other goodbye. They would walk out the door, grumbling about how long they’ll be in the office and away from their other half. Or just the fact they have to sit across Jerold today. Again.

But, then again, there was that feeling of excitement they felt at the idea of coming home, when the sun was already setting, and the stars were already peaking out of their hiding places, that gave them hope. A hope that filled their chests, a hope to see a smile while walking in the door, the smell of takeout in the kitchen, and maybe a few smaller monsters running up to them at the sight of their parent being home.

It was those moments that made all of it worth it, all of the hurt and pain… waiting, worth it.

Waiting is one of the most painful things you could do. Waiting for the doors to open to get out of the snow, waiting for the plane to arrive to get home to your bed, waiting for someone to arrive when you’re so excited to see them.

It is painful, but it is also another form of love, waiting for someone. When you really want someone, who isn’t ready or doesn’t want to be with you, you’d wait a life time for them, even when you want them now.

But jumping into a relationship when it isn’t time can be harmful. It could ruin all that you’ve built before that, everything you’ve worked for, could be gone.

For example, finding out someone’s identity before it was time, and then jumping into a relationship with them. A loving, healthy relationship, but toxic because _it wasn’t time._

There’s a book in Christianity called the Bible, and the Bible talks about love a lot. Love coming from Jesus, God, loving your neighbor and loving yourself. It also talks about loving your significant other in a healthy way, in a chapter called Song of Songs. There is a verse that says, “please, do not awaken love unless it is ready to be awakened.”

And that, is what this is about.

But is it healthy? Was it the right time?

Let’s find out.

. . .

The masks fell around midnight. It was right after the storm had stopped raging, and the wind stopped blowing. It became peaceful, a tranquil, drip-drop morning as the last of the water fell off the roof, giving off a beautiful glow to the city. Sunlight beamed and bent when they hit the puddles and the drops, light rays extending and contracting to try and reflect it.

Water is a mirror, after all.

The sun carefully drew a fine line across the city as it rose higher and higher into the sky, escaping the prison the horizon held, and into the arms of the open sky. It hit a bakery, a mansion, a bunch of early birds and angry traffickers. Streetlamps turned off, engines turned on, and the sun just kept rolling across the city.

Finally, like a drop of water hitting the ground, the sun rays hit the side of _Le Grand Paris_ , the hotel, and it climbed up its’ fancy walls. It streamed into windows, hit all the blocking curtains that were drawn closed, the people inside wanting to sleep through the early hours of the morning.

But as it hit the final floor of the hotel, the one room with the drawn open curtains swallowed the sunlight. The beams entered the room, slowly creeping across the floor and across the couch, table and nightstand. The sunlight hit the bed, and even slower, the beams creeped up its’ side, until it hit the curve of the bed, and suddenly lit up the faces of the two figures lying there.

They were fast asleep, completely drugged by the dreamless void that was their mind, filled with the pleasant nothingness. Everything was quiet and still, and nothing could wake them from this sleep.

Well, almost nothing.

Chat Noir is, and always will be, a morning person, and being the sunshine boy he is, he will always react to the sunlight first.

He stirred slowly, his eyes moving underneath his eyelids as the sun slowly prodded him awake. He awoke silently and released a happy sigh as he opened his eyes. He liked the warmth that was pressed completely against his chest, like a heating pad had been placed there just to keep him warm.

Well, that was before he realized it was a person.

Chat momentarily panicked, almost thinking he had accidentally taken someone home for no reason and all last night was more of a dream.

But then he saw the hotel room, the sunlight indicating the early hours, and the presence of his favorite person in his arms. He couldn’t help but smile as he watched the hairs on the back of her neck shake as he breathed against her, how her body felt warm and alive, and her happy sighs she did in her sleep were the things that were killing him at the moment.

Moments of last night came back to mind, and they finally set in. The way she reacted to his touch, the way she chose this and _wanted this._ The way she finally let him show her exactly how he felt about her. He loved how cocky she was sometimes, especially when he could make her fall into an endless pit of _holy shit he knows what he’s doing,_ and completely undo her.

She let him, that was the beautiful part of it. Her consent to his hands moving and giving him control was the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen, and he wants absolutely nothing to do with it unless it’s like that every single time.

 _Every single time._ Chat couldn’t help but smile at that. The idea that there could be more beautiful moments, the idea that he could become more intimate with her, spend more time getting to know her from the inside out. The idea thrilled him, and it left a giddy feeling of joy in his chest.

But then came… well, the “but.”

But that is, if she didn’t regret last night, and she wanted to become intimate partners with him. Not just partners, but _together_ in the sense that they could strengthen their bond and be partners in everything they do. Attack each problem, or akuma, while drawing strength from each other and having each other’s backs.

It was her choice in the end, he already knew what he wanted, that just depended on what she wanted as well.

In the end, he’d let her choose what she wanted this to be, and whatever it was, he was fine with. As long as he doesn’t lose her.

Considering how much he’s given to her, he’s allowed to be a little selfish about her. And considering last night, and the late-night kisses and visits they do, he feels like he has a right. He gets a say in this to.

Like the sun did to him, it did to her. His awakened presence stirred her mind and she slowly became conscious. She groaned loudly, which Adrien chuckled to; he’s always sort of known that his lady was most definitely not a morning person. 

He nuzzled against her, his nose poking through her hair and touching her neck. She shivered against the action, and curled more in on herself, groaning again.

“It’s too early for this,” Ladybug grumbled.

Chat chuckled, closing his eyes and pulling her closer. She hummed against him, and the sound made him purr in the back of his throat, the vibrations sending waves of giggles into her body.

“I love that so much,” she said, in between giggles. Her middle spasmed as she laughed, her little happy giggles making him blush and all as he tried to hide his flushed cheeks. “I hope you save that for me.”

“Only for you,” he said, his embarrassment ebbing.

She giggled again before sighing happily. She curled even more into him, her bare skin pressing into his. His heart soared at the action, the fact that she trusts him to hold her body, to touch her body, to treasure her and only her. He couldn’t ask for anything more.

He was trying to come up with what he was feeling as they lay in comfortable silence, the delicate moment so strong and fragile that he dared not shatter it. She was happy, and she was laughing, giggling and teasing him, making sure and double sure that he was hers. He couldn’t promise that enough. He couldn’t promise her in any sort of way except actually showing her how much he really wants to treasure her. He honestly had no idea how to do that, how to treasure someone when you love them so much, and when for years you were just friends and nothing more. It was almost scary how much he loved her, but at the same time, he was fearful of how much is too much.

Would she be overwhelmed with it? Would she want him to love her less? Would she cringe when he finally said the three special words?

He had questions to everything he thought now, questions about what he was doing right and wrong, and whether or not he was taking care of her and treating her right. She deserved the world, and a damn good boyfriend, if that is what she was looking for in him.

Ladybug suddenly sighed and sat up, her face still facing the window. She reached up towards the ceiling and yawned, stretching as she did so. She made a noise from the back of her throat as she slowly stretched her sleepy muscles.

Before Chat could protest, Ladybug got up from the bed and used the towel on the floor to wrap herself with it.

He whined, reaching out to her. “No, come back!”

“Why?” she asked, not turning back to him as she walked to the table.

He pouted, “I was not done cuddling.”

She giggled, still not turning around.

He huffed, watching her as she traced a finger along the table, absent mindedly making little hearts he could see from where he lay.

He took that as a good sign and stood up, not bothering to cover up.

She was turning around when she suddenly saw his flash of skin and she whipped back around, gasping.

“Will you put that away?!”

He was confused, “What?”

“Your thing!”

“My thing?”

“Yes, your thing!”

“Ohhh, you mean this thing?”

“Chat, don’t you dare—” She screeched when she made the mistake of peeking through her fingers. She whirled around and covered her face, her cheeks flaring up to his hilarious, and embarrassing, actions.

“I need bleach for my eyes,” she groaned, her back to him as she struggled to hold her towel up and cringe at the same time.

“It’s not like you haven’t seen me before,” he said, grinning as she watched her tense further.

She groaned again and dropped her head back, a sign of giving up. He chuckled at her and looked around for the other towel so that he could give her a little mercy. She’s still a little shy around him, and that’s okay. As long as she’s comfortable, then it should be fine.

“There’s a towel next to your feet, wanna toss it to me?” he asked, waiting for her response.

She sighed as she knelt down and grabbed the towel next to her feet, before turning half around and throwing it to him. She threw a little too hard, and she jumped and whirled around right when Chat turned around to get it. The towel hit the wall and fell onto the bed with a loud _slap!_

“Crap, sorry!” she said, the embarrassment in her voice evident. “I didn’t mean to throw it that hard.”

He laughed, “It’s all good, Bugaboo. Nothing to stress about.” The towel landed on the other side of the bed, so Chat had to lean a knee on the mattress to get it. He grabbed it and wrapped it around his waist, tucking in the corner of the towel so it stayed on his hips.

He looked back up at her right when she had turned her gaze back to the window, her face still hidden from him.

He glanced at the window, “Enjoying the view?”

She shrugged, walking towards it and standing right in front of the glass. “Yeah, but it’s no different from the views you and I get from our patrols.”

“But better,” he added, starting to walk towards her.

He could feel her smile. “But better,” she repeated.

He walked right up behind her and wrapped his arms around her middle, pulling her body close against him. He swayed with her in his arms, resting his head next to hers and watching the sun slowly rise over the horizon, the city still golden from the early morning hours.

“The sunrise is beautiful,” Ladybug said.

He shifted glancing at her in his peripherals. He couldn’t see her eyes or her face, which annoyed him a little bit since he hasn’t seen them at all this morning yet. Her eyes are like droplets of the perfect blue ocean, the parts that felt amazing to swim in and feel free and clean.

“Just like you,” he said, squeezing her a little tighter.

She snorted, “You haven’t seen my morning face yet or smelled my morning breath.”

He laughed once, “Ha! I bet you look amazing.”

“More like a zombie.”

“A pretty dang beautiful zombie.”

“Gross,” she said, making a face. “Now I’m picturing a zombie with lipstick on or something.”

Chat couldn’t stop laughing, his chest exploding with color as he erupted to simply giggles. “Oh, Bugaboo!” he said, still laughing and struggling to breath. “Now I’m picturing that!”

“You’re welcome,” she said, her smirk evident.

He chuckled one last time before leaning back and rubbing his hands down her arms from behind. “Can I see your face now?”

She shook her head, “Nope.”

He grinned, “And why not?”

“Because you deserve to keep your eyes, and not rip them from their sockets.”

He laughed again, “Ah, c’mon, Bugaboo, you know, we don’t really have all day.”

She snorted, but she didn’t say anything.

“Please?” he complained, wanting to see her face. “I miss those beautiful blue eyes of yours.”

She shook her head, still refusing to speak.

“Ladybug,” he said, gentler this time. He reached out and placed a hand on her lower back, which made her slightly inhale sharply. He watched as the goosebumps travelled from her neck and down her arms, a shiver ricocheting across her body.

It was a loving, gentle gesture that he’s shown her before, and it always works wonders. It calmed her nerves, it helped her relax. The first time he tried it he realized that her love language was physical touch, which he was thrilled about, because it was a very secret one he had to find. He was the only one that knew that, and there was no way he was telling anybody else that, he doesn’t want anyone touching his lady like he does.

“Fine,” she said, her voice slightly whispered.

He stepped back and watched her turn around and—

Well, a lot of things happened.

First, Chat was confused, then he was surprised, then he thought he was dreaming. Then he felt his heart drop into his stomach, and he watched Ladybug’s—not Ladybug’s—face morph to pure mortification.

She slowly raised a hand to her mouth, covering it as she stared at him with wide eyes, tears brimming the edges.

He reached out to her, trying to calm her down from her panic. “Hey, it’s okay.”

“Oh—”

“Hey, hey, calm down, okay? You’re okay.”

“Oh, _shit, shit, shit—_ ”

“Marinette, you need to breath, okay?”

“A-Adrien, you’re—how—what—”

“I know,” he said, taking a step towards her, his arms still raised in a nonthreatening way. “I know, I’m shocked to, okay? But you need to stay calm, Marinette.”

“Adrien…” she said, her eyes glazing over and taking on a ghosted look. “Adrien…”

“Hey,” he said, his fear for her intensifying. “Hey, snap out of it, hey, look at me.”

She did, her eyes still in a haze.

“Marinette,” he said, his voice shaking from his adrenaline and shock. “You’re Ladybug. I’m Adrien, but I’m also Chat Noir, can you wrap your mind around that for me?”

Her eyes glazed away again.

“Hey,” he said, reaching out to her again. “Hey, look at me.”

She wouldn’t.

He touched her arm, “Marinette—”

Her hand suddenly came up and the back of her hand slapped his arm away and she stepped back, hitting the window behind her.

They just stared at each other for what seemed like years.

Adrien was trying to wrap his own head around this. One minute they were in a lighthearted mood, ready to fool around like kids are supposed to do. Not running around and playing hard to get, pining after one another while wearing masks and never seeing each other’s true eyes and faces. Or names.

But here they are, standing face to face with the most unexpected reveal they ever thought would happen.

Adrien barely noticed the way Marinette walked around him, still holding the towel close to her body. He turned around as soon as he noticed she was gone and tried to reach after her, to call her back, but she just waved him off and suddenly, the bathroom door was between them.

“Marinette?” he called. He knocked on the door a few times, “Marinette, will you please open the door?”

Nothing.

“Marinette,” he called, knocking again. “Hey, it’s only me. You can talk to me, right? You trust me?”

There was no answer.

Adrien swallowed a huge lump in his throat and knocked again. “Marinette?”

“Ch—Adrien just leave!” she shouted suddenly, her voice frustrated and muffled by the door. Her voice cracked on the last word and she suddenly sobbed, which made his heart break into a thousand pieces.

He listened to her sob for a minute before continuing. “My Lady, I’m not gonna leave when you’re crying.”

She didn’t respond.

“Especially if I have something to do with it.”

No response.

“My Lady,” he said, his voice borderline broken. “Please, I can’t lose you.”

There was a long pause of awkward silence that followed, stretching into long minutes where they both just listened to each other’s soft breathing. Breathing that was unsteady because of the emotions, and shaky from the fear of losing each other.

“Just leave,” she finally said, her voice broken and defeated. “Please, Ch—Adrien just…” she sighed, most likely trying not to break down. “Leave.”

He felt everything in his body completely crumble, his resolve, his will, his heart. He stumbled back in an attempt to stay upright as he felt his face become wet. How did his face become wet?

“Okay,” he said, swallowing as the tears rolled down his face. “Okay… I’ll… I’ll leave.”

She didn’t say anything.

Adrien turned from the door and just then noticed the awake and sad looking kwamis sitting on the pillows, watching him carefully. He remembers hearing their voices, but he doesn’t remember the questions. He only remembers shaking his head in a daze and asking Plagg to transform him.

Wearing the suit felt like a weight had been placed on his shoulders, and it only mocked him in all its significance to the situation. He walked towards the window and opened it, and right when it clicked into place as being all the way opened, he heard Marinette crumble to the ground and started crying.

All he wanted to do was break down that door, rip it off its hinges and wrap his arms around her, remind her that it’s okay, that everything will be fine. He was there, and he wasn’t leaving.

But he didn’t.

In fact, it took everything in him to jump out the window, and run.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's nothing wrong with a little bit of angst. I've always imagined the reveal with Adrien trying to keep calm while Marinette kinda goes into shock and needs her space, so that's how i decided to write it. 
> 
> The next few chapters will be posted soon!
> 
> Insta: @being_happy_official


	22. Realization

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette and Adrien realize some things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To be honest, I'm not all that proud of this chapter.   
> Hope you guys enjoy it nonetheless!

Chapter 22: Realization

The sun that filtered through the windows were mocking her. The early morning had made it clear that there had been no rest for her last night. Not one minute did she catch a glimpse of shut eye, when all she wanted to do was escape this… reality. She guessed she would call it a nightmare, how everything made her cave in on herself, from dropping something on the floor to a very depressing thought process.

Getting some sleep would’ve been ideal, considering the landscape of confusing thoughts running around her mind. The restless feeling she gained mixed with the sheer exhaustion was not helping one bit.

She was restless because that was the only way she could keep herself from thinking about the one thing she definitely should think about. The exhaustion was from keeping her mind void as the night dragged on in waves of punishment and torture.

Her wakeful dreams were filled to the brim with how the ceiling was crafted, painted, what color it was and when she first decided to paint it pink. She spent all night memorizing the ceiling so she could test herself later, a very effective way to keep her mind busy.

But even though she kept her mind busy for most of the night, her brain has always been her worst bully. Flashes of the night before appeared in her mind, the night where she decided to give herself completely over to the feeling. The night where she finally let go of all her fears and anxieties about how she really feels for him. The night she finally let him see her for what felt like the first time.

And after it all, she was careless, and they were exposed to the truth.

A truth she did not want to face.

A truth she was not ready to face.

But here they were. The universe had decided to take matters into its’ own hands and uncover the biggest reveal of all time. And in doing so, it sent both sides of the situation into their own method of grieving and dealing with the truth.

Marinette, was utterly, completely, and totally confused.

She was currently lying on her bed, staring up at the ceiling with her hands folded on her stomach. Her eyes were crusty from the crying she had done, the crying she tried to exhaust herself with so she could fall asleep. But her mind kept working, processing and rummaging through all the crap that was the reveal.

The reveal that Chat Noir was Adrien. And Adrien was Chat Noir. The love of her life and her best friend. One person. One perfect being.

It almost made her laugh, with how ironic the situation was and how dumb she was when she didn’t see if before. The blond hair, the eyes, the gentleness, the caring, the _Adrieness._ That might not be a word, but it damn well suits his personality.

“Honey?” she heard her mom’s voice as her trap door opened. She heard the steps her mom made as her shoes clicked on the floor, walking closer to Marinette’s bed. She heard her mother grab the railings of her ladder and begin the climb up.

Sabine’s face appeared at the other end of the bed as Marinette sat up, her eyes full of concern.

“Honey, you’re going to be late for school again if you sleep anymore,” she said, her voice stern but gentle.

Marinette sighed, “I don’t know, I’m not feeling good.”

Sabine’s eyes grew more concerned as she reached for her daughter’s face, touching the palm of her hand to her forehead. Marinette closed her eyes as she felt the warmth of her mother’s gentle hands on her sweaty forehead, no doubt from all the crying. Her head pounded, her body ached, and she felt over all sick. The last thing she felt like doing was going to school. She wanted to sleep, to escape this reality only so she can clear her head.

“Well, you don’t have a fever,” Sabine said, pulling away from her daughter. She studied her for a second before pursing her lips, “You do look a little pale though. You feeling sick?”

Marinette nodded, “I feel like going to school would make it worse.”

 _Well, of course,_ she thought. _Seeing him is definitely not what you need right now._

Sabine thought for a long moment, processing and deciding. For once, Marinette hoped that her mother would see right through her and let her stay home, just this once. Yes, she sometimes hates it, and loves sleeping in, but for once, going to school would be bad for her. She was crying all night, and seeing him around while she is this fragile, would not make things any better.

“Okay,” her mother said, which sent a wave of relief over Marinette’s body, letting her relax for the first time in hours.

Sabine leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to her daughter’s forehead, cradling Marinette’s neck in her hands before pulling away and locking eyes with her.

“You know you can tell me anything? I am always here for you,” her mother said, warmth to her voice.

Marinette smiled at that, grateful for her mother’s tender heart. “Thanks mama,” she said, taking her hand and squeezing it. “But I think I just need some sleep.”

Her mother nodded one last time before climbing down the latter and out of the room, leaving Marinette to lie back into her sheets and stare back up at the ceiling.

She would like to talk. In fact, talking through this awful way of revealing things with someone would be amazing, just because… of the things they did and…

This is where Marinette gets chocked up, because Chat Noir sees Ladybug as his muse, his love and his lady. Whereas Adrien thinks about Marinette as just a friend, and now that their identities are out and the cat’s out of the bag, he must think…

There is no easy way to put it, but Marinette is absolutely terrified of what Adrien will think of her especially with all the things they did with each other the night before. She had let him see her at her most vulnerable, Chat Noir, and it happens to be Adrien who is under the mask.

She covered her mouth with her hand and tried to hold back a sob that was tightening in her throat. Adrien was going to be disgusted with her, he would toss her away like some useless rag doll that belongs in the trash. He will devalue their friendship and their partnership and maybe even try and make her give up her miraculous. He would want a new Ladybug, a better Ladybug. A Ladybug who can control her emotions, someone who is more worthy than the needy girl she was, who he must think took advantage of him last night.

He deserved better, and Paris deserved superheroes that don’t have to worry about their feelings towards each other.

Marinette couldn’t hold back the sob that ricocheted in her chest, exploding out of her mouth like gasped whimper. Tears crept down the sides of her face, dripping onto the sheets and staining her mattress until they dried up.

Out of frustration, Marinette cried out.

“Why didn’t he tell me?!” she whimpered, still crying. She covered her face and realized what a hypocrite she was being.

“Marinette?” Tikki’s soft voice called to her as she looked to the side and found her little companion floating next to the bed.

Marinette softened and sat up at her friend’s approach, “Sorry, did I wake you?”

Tikki shook her head, “No, your mom came in and it woke me up.”

She nodded, sniffling to herself as she turned away, looking straight ahead at the wall in front of her, which was bare since she took down all the pictures of Adrien last night. His eyes had been staring at her all across the room, keeping her awake and his mocking smile made her think of his shocked face when he looked into her real eyes.

She wiped away some tears from her cheeks only to replace them with new ones that rolled off her cheeks and into the sheets again.

“Are you okay?” Tikki asked.

Marinette snorted, “Do I look okay?” she snapped.

Tikki flinched a little bit and Marinette immediately felt guilty as she reached out to her companion. “I’m sorry,” she said, her words sincere as her heart softened. Tikki landed on her knees that were pulled up to her chest as she continued. “I shouldn’t snap at you, sorry.”

“It’s alright,” her friend said, giving her a forgiving look. “You’re not really—”

“In the right mind right now?” Marinette nodded. “Trust me, I know.”

Tikki gained a guilty look on her face as she turned away, a knowing look in her eyes.

Marinette watched her curiously, furrowing her eyebrows in confusion at the guilty look. Tikki shouldn’t feel guilty at all, none of this was her fault, their identities were completely under cover and—

That’s when she realized…

“Tikki, did you know that Adrien was Chat Noir?” she asked suddenly, turned back to her kwami.

A memory found its way into Marinette’s mind, a memory of being trapped inside a giant metal box while fighting an akuma. They had to give up their miraculous in order to save the city but ended up replacing them with the fake ones she used earlier that day. She and Chat Noir were their civilian selves facing each other with their eyes closed, but that doesn’t mean their kwami’s eyes were closed.

Tikki’s face fell, and she nodded in shame.

Marinette didn’t know what to say in that moment. Instead, she looked off to the side and felt more tears and sobs come up from the bottom of her stomach. The reality of it all made her want to throw up, the realizations she was coming to when it came to the love of her life and her best friend being the same person—it was too much.

“And you didn’t tell me?” Marinette turned back to her friend, a hurt look in her eyes.

Tikki gave her a sympathetic look. “It wasn’t really my secret to tell, Marinette. You and Chat Noir had decided to keep each other’s identities a secret until the right time. He wanted to know your identity, you continued to push the rule, and then it just fell out of our hands.”

“Yeah,” Marinette said, dryly laughing. “We had sex and when my guard was down my mask fell off and we were dumb not to notice.” The realization came down hard on her again and her face contorted as she struggled to hold back her emotions. “I can’t believe I thought it would be okay to—to do that with him when… when he’s… he’s…”

“Marinette, you need to calm down,” Tikki said, floating closer as her owner’s breathing hitched. “Chat Noir and Adrien are both forgiving people. Even if he thinks it… it wasn’t the right time, he will understand.” Tikki placed a paw on her owner’s shoulder in empathy, “Don’t be so hard on yourself, you felt like it was the right time to do that with him, giving him your everything. If he also thinks you guys moved to fast, he’ll understand.”

“You can’t just take last night back, Tikki!” Marinette cried, her frustration reaching a peak. “I let him do stuff to me because we were in the moment, and I did stuff to him because we were in the moment. We can’t take it back because now it’s all out there. And if he doesn’t want me in any sort of way, I’m going to be marked by him forever as being his _first everything._ ” Marinette was crying at this point, her fears and anxieties taking over. “I was his first love, his first friend, his first kiss and his first time. I was all his firsts, and now we can’t take that back if he wants to do that with someone else!” She cried out as she collapsed backwards onto the bed, sobbing as she did so.

“Someone else,” She repeated, her voice heavy with emotion. “He’s going to want someone else after what we did.”

“You don’t know that,” Tikki said, flying closer to her owner’s head. “He could be scared and confused just as much as you are right now. He could be regretting last night, he could be wishing he could take it back—but not for the reasons you think.” Tikki paused to catch her breath, “I’ve seen the way he looks at you, as both Ladybug and Marinette, no matter what he thinks of you, friend, partner, or lover, he loves you. He might want to take back last night so he could spend it with you when your masks are off, and you know each other’s names.”

“Are—are you saying… it was a mistake?” Marinette asked, her voice quivering from emotion.

“No,” Tikki said, “There is no such thing as mistakes, Marinette, only lessons to learn from.”

Marinette took this to heart and mind. Based off the last twenty-four hours and her own pummeled emotions that had been both played and cursed by fate bouncing around her head. She was in no shape to see him or go to school for that matter. Yes, mistakes—lessons—were being taught to her and the universe happened to be her teacher, which wasn’t helping.

But would she learn from these lessons? Was this going to be a turning point for her? _For them?_

She suddenly was angry again, her frustration on the situation coming out to how she truly feels about all of this. She hated how it always put a wall between them, how their masks were the reason why they never fell for each other, why all along they were under each other’s noses. She failed to notice the signs that all pointed to Adrien, and it made her wish she got to know Chat Noir in a more intimate and deeper way.

“Why didn’t he tell me?!” she exclaimed again, but this time her voice was cracked with even more emotions as she drowned in another crying pit.

“Tell you what?” Tikki asked, her voice careful.

“That he was Chat Noir!” she cried, shaking her head and burying her face in her hands.

“This is not his fault, Marinette,” Tikki said gently. “He didn’t tell you so he could respect you and your wishes.”

“I know,” she said quietly, still not looking at her kwami. She sighed, “I’m such a hypocrite,” she said, defeated.

Tikki was silent for a moment, before flying closer to her companion. “You never told him who you were. You were always the one that was so hard on him about the whole identity thing. Remember what happened last time when he found out first?”

Marinette shivered from the memories, full of icy blue eyes that seemed so cold and foreign. How the world around her and him had turned white and everything was flooded with both water, and their mistakes.

She nodded.

“Then you know not to blame him, right?” she asked, her voice still gentle.

Marinette’s face contorted and she nodded. “I know,” she said, her voice still broken. “I just… I’m just confused and—”

“In shock,” Tikki said, finishing it for her. “You’re in shock.”

Marinette looked at her kwami and just stared at her for a long time. Her little companion always knew what to say, even if it just meant finishing her sentences.

They stayed silent for a long time, not bothering to acknowledge the awkward yet morbid situation Marinette had somehow wounded herself into.

“You’re going to have to talk to him eventually,” Tikki said, breaking the silence.

Marinette nodded, turning away, “I know.” She took a deep, shaky breath and rubbed her raw eyes from all the crying and the sleepless night. “I know, I just can’t right now. I can’t talk to him, I can’t see him, I can’t even think about him without—” she stopped to hold back a sob and closed her eyes, holding back the tears. It was a long moment before she finally spoke again. “I miss him, Tikki… but I also can’t stand to see him right now.”

Tikki nodded, “I understand, and I know Adrien understands as well.”

She nodded. “I know,” she said, before groaning and cradling her pounding head. “And I can’t think about it any longer or my head is going to explode.” She said, before getting under her covers and resting her throbbing head on her soft, welcoming pillow. “I’m just going to pass out for however long it takes for my brain to calm down.”

Tikki giggled lightly, at least her owner was still somewhat in her head. “Alright, get some rest, Ladybug.”

Marinette didn’t even hear her, she was too busy passing out and dragging Chat Noir and Adrien into her dreams, where she only had pleasant, nice dreams about him. Ones that calmed her and reminded her just who Adrien and Chat Noir were—the same person.

They were always gentle with her, why would that change now? This put her mind at ease as she finally relaxed for the first time in hours, wrapped in the embrace that was her partner and reassured that everything was going to be okay.

. . .

Everything was white noise. The sounds that were supposed to cross his ear drums passed silently across his ears, passing through his head like it didn’t even exist. He seemed to only be staring at a blank void full of darkness and fear. He was terrified, both for himself and for his lady—Marinette.

He didn’t know how she was doing, or what she was thinking, and it only made him more anxious about the situation when she didn’t show up for school today. Him, being the loyal son, he went to school in a daze while his father remarked how he’s going to be late. He hadn’t had the luxury of staying home when he clearly felt like he was going to throw up with both worry and pure shock. 

Of course, who would ever know if he decided to sneak out of the bathroom window and go pay his lady a visit. He was worried about her after all, and all things school related seemed like a minor anxiety compared to how much he cared about her and worried she was going to do something stupid.

He knew Ladybug, he knew she was one for getting emotional and caught up in her brain while she told herself all these horrible things. She believed all these false things about herself that he sometimes had to pry those thorns out himself. And yes, he was happy and willing to do so, anything to make his lady feel better, but that doesn’t mean pulling out that thorn could be painful.

He also knew Marinette, and how similar and how much she resembled Ladybug. Well, that made sense, she and her were the same people, and the fact that he was only just now seeing the similarities between them hurt him more.

He couldn’t wrap his head around Ladybug and Marinette being the same person, how they seemed to act so differently to each other. Ladybug was relaxed and very head strong when it came to defending her city, and Marinette was jumpy and tense around him and flinched whenever he would say hello to her.

It just didn’t make sense to him, how she looked and had the same beliefs as each other, however, they acted like completely different people around him.

“You going to stare at that apple all day or are you gonna eat it?”

Adrien looked up from his lunch tray and at his friends across from him. Alya was cocking an eyebrow in her sarcastic manner, which gave him the impression that she had asked the question. Nino was sitting there giving his best friend a concerned look while Adrien had an inner turmoil that tossed his brain back and forth around his skull.

“Sorry,” he said, shaking his head a little before picking up the unappetizing apple and taking a bite. He swallowed before looking at them again, “What’re you talking about?”

“I don’t remember,” Alya said casually, peeling away the plastic from the fruit cup she had. “But here’s a more concerning topic, where’s Marinette?”

This peaked Adrien’s interest. He knew Marinette wasn’t at school today, the fact that she hadn’t shown up for first period spoke enough. But it didn’t stop his worry for her when she hadn’t even contacted her best friend to let her know she wasn’t coming to school today.

“You haven’t heard from her?” Nino asked, voicing the question Adrien felt too small to ask.

Alya shook her head, her concern for her friend not hiding as she set down her fruit cup, her eyes distraught. “No, and she usually texts me when she’s not going to school.”

“Maybe she’s sleeping?” Nino suggested, laying a hand on his girlfriend’s arm.

Alya sighed, “I don’t know, usually she wakes up to get ready for school when she doesn’t feel well, then texts me once she finds out.” Alya shrugged before looking up at Adrien, “You haven’t heard anything from her, have you?”

Adrien, caught up in his emotions, was asked that question at the wrong time. He choked on his apple and nearly had a heart attack before swallowing the mostly unchewed piece. He grunted after a moment, before returning his attention back to her, his eyes blank and holding secrets as he said—

“No,” he said, which he realized was the semi truth. “No, I haven’t heard from her.”

“This is giving me bad vibes,” Nino said, looking between them with worry. “I mean, when was the last time Marinette was sick?

Alya thought for a moment before speaking. “Not for a while, that’s for sure. She makes a point about how she can’t get sick for some reason.”

“Maybe cause she reacts to it so badly,” Nino jumped in. “There was that one time when she nearly passed out from how sick she was—”

“Wasn’t there an akuma that day to?” Adrien asked suddenly, his fists tightening in his lap.

Alya’s eyes lit up, “Right!” she exclaimed, turning back to Nino. “I remember that, she was so sick. It was a miracle she had to run to the bathroom and throw up,” Alya shivered even though the weather outside was pretty warm. “She could’ve gotten hurt if it wasn’t for her stomach.”

“Ladybug was acting really weird that day to,” Adrien suddenly blurted, realizing something.

Alya and Nino turned to him in confusion, “What?” they asked at the same time.

Adrien looked up at them with start, realizing he had said it out loud. “Nothing,” he finally said, waving them off. “Just… a thought.”

They took that as a sign to change the subject, giving Adrien the perfect opportunity to slip away from the crowded common room. His head was floating, and his brain was rocking back and forth on raging waves of realization.

Ladybug and Marinette get sick. That means they get sick together, that means they act exactly the same when they get sick. It was such a stupid thing to compare to this situation, but it made his mind clear and somewhat jumpy with excitement that he had finally found his lady. They were exactly the same person, and Adrien was going to hold onto that because it seemed like the only thing he could hold onto in this chaotic world he was living in.

Yes, he was confused, frustrated, and a little bit distraught, but that wasn’t going to stop him from realizing that his lady was the exact person he wanted her to be. And the exact person he wanted her to be, was most definitely Marinette.

If he wasn’t in love with her then, he was definitely in love with her now.

He just had to find a way to tell her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really like the next chapter, and it's pretty long as well!
> 
> Insta: @being_happy_official 
> 
> Hope you guys enjoyed!


	23. Chin Scratches

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Both Marinette and Adrien are trying to cope with the idea that the love of their lives was right in front of them this whole time. In doing so, they end up getting a little frustrated with each other, and Adrien suggests something to fix all of this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a long chapter for you guys to make up for the absence.   
> Enjoy!

Chapter 23: Chin Scratches

One thing Chat knew for sure; he was not one to sit around and wait for his lady to suffer. As he bounded over the rooftops in the direction of her house, the wind tearing at his face and the sun threatening to give him a sun burn on his face, his thoughts raced faster than his own feet.

He was anxious, he hated the way they found out each other’s identities, especially with how she reacted. He was nervous about her own reality, and the way she is taking it. From what he could remember the morning of the reveal, since he was in a daze from shock, Ladybug—Marinette—was not doing well. She had collapsed to the ground and immediately started sobbing from what he could recall.

He cringed as he vaulted over a chimney, landing into a forward roll before jumping over another wall.

 _I’m such a grade A idiot,_ he told himself as he jumped across an alleyway. _I should’ve paid more attention about the masks. I should’ve—_

He yelped as he screeched to a stop right before he went tumbling off the edge of a very high building, pieces of concrete hitting the ground far below him. He gulped nervously as he backed up, putting a hand over his heart and feeling his racing heartbeat. He was going to have a panic attack if he didn’t calm down, with his anxiety and fear for her and their relationship… or whatever it was now.

 _You need to calm down,_ he told himself, taking a deep breath and slowly releasing it from his lungs. _it wasn’t all your fault._ The fact that the masks fell overnight happened by chance, and he wasn’t freaking out as much as he was the morning it happened.

He was still intact, and he somehow hasn’t combusted to whatever feeling he was supposed to be feeling in that moment. Fear, anxiety, joy, happiness, etc. He honestly had no idea, and even if he did, he would be concerned for his mental health. Having an idea in this extremely unfortunate/fortunate situation would both be less stressful, but also very concerning, considering the love of his life is the person he thought of as _just a friend._

He cringed at the reminder, closing his eyes and fisting his hands until he assumed his knuckles were white. He was up all-night thinking about that, thinking about how he has some major explaining to do on his part, calling her a friend by day and his lover by night.

He cringed again. _Make sure you don’t say that to her,_ He thought.

Pushing all anxiety filled thoughts to the side, he jumped off the rooftop and continued on his way. He was either going to have a very fulfilling conversation and everything was going to work out, or he was about to lose the love of his life.

. . .

Chat Noir could only watch her. Her graceful yet sluggish form move across her room as she kept her hands busy, the bags under eyes saying she hadn’t slept all last night either. Her hair was a matted mess, hanging around her shoulders in a dark curtain that swayed as she walked around the room. Her deep blue eyes were filled with anxiety and exhaustion was taking its’ physical toll on her as her mind refused to let her fall asleep.

He knew this was considered stalking; he was one-hundred percent certain if someone saw him peeking in some girl’s room, it would be all over the news by sundown.

But he couldn’t help it. His intentions were innocent, he was completely out of his mind, and his mother has always taught him to be a gentleman. He wasn’t going to just disgrace both Marinette and his mother in one go.

As he avoided the complete stalky side of the situation, he couldn’t help but notice how she reacted to what he assumed was the reveal while she thought no one was watching.

He noticed as she moved around the room, she tried to sit down, relax, even work at her desk on what he assumed were designs or homework. But soon enough, her leg would start tapping, her face would contort, and she would get up from wherever she was sitting and start pacing. He could feel the anxiety coming off her from just outside her window, the way her hands shook, the way she covered her face, trying to hold back the tears.

It was pure agony to watch her suffer.

He wanted nothing more than to just forget her name, no matter how much it pained him. By knowing his name, she was putting herself down to the point where she could barely get out of bed. He didn’t know what she was thinking, what she was planning, or what she was regretting, and it terrified him.

But no matter what, he has always put her first, no matter what the situation. He hated the idea of forgetting her name, even though that was impossible, but if it made her feel better, it was worth it.

Watching her as she suffered was getting both of them nowhere, so he reached out with his fist, hesitated, before lightly rapping on the door while his heart pounded in his chest.

Marinette nearly jumped out of her skin when he knocked, and he immediately felt bad. She whipped around so fast he was surprised she didn’t get whiplash. She was holding a pillow in her arms and she held it in front of her like she was going to hit him with it if he was a trespasser or something.

He wished he could say she relaxed when she saw him, but that wasn’t the case. She froze, her face going pale as she recognized his green, glowing eyes, then dropped the pillow. Her lips moved, but due to the window being between them, he didn’t hear his name on her lips. 

He wished he had.

Marinette hesitated and stalled one step before she finally walked, shakily, towards the window, unlocking it and pushing it open. The smell of strawberries and fresh fabric tickled his senses once the window swung fully open, and he had a strange feeling of being at home—being safe.

Her eyes were red, due to crying he guessed, and her cheeks were flushed, due to his presence. She was dressed in shorts and a pink croc top, her hair pulled back into a high ponytail, a scandalous look he’s never seen on her. He would be lying if he didn’t think she looked really pretty right then.

Suddenly, blue met green and they both froze. Eyes wide and scared as they continued to stare blindly into each other’s eyes, images and memories resurfacing. Images that went from innocent hand holdings, kissing on the beach, then back to the night before and the sounds they both made.

Marinette broke the eye contact first and cleared her throat, looking down as she shook her head out of the daze. She backed up a bit and gestured to her left, her cheeks flaring up like she was in a furnace.

“You want to come in?” she asked, shyly not meeting his eyes.

He could only stare at her longer, confused by the offer. He was stuck in a void moment, where his mind went blank and he was both panicking and calm at the same time. His eyes filled with only flushed cheeks and the bluest eyes he has ever seen.

“Chat?”

“Yes!” he suddenly exclaimed, making her jump in surprise. He relaxed and took a deep breath, making his heart rate slow down enough until he was ready to speak again. “Yes, I—I would like that.”

 _Pull yourself together!_ He thought as he crawled through her window, landing with a louder thud than he had intended to, and he cringed as he awaited for her father to come and smack him all the way back to school.

“Don’t worry,” Marinette said, wrapping her arms around herself. “My parents are down in the bakery; they can’t hear us from up here.”

He relaxed a little bit, “Alright.”

Awkward silence.

“So,” Marinette continued, sniffling a little before looked back at him. “Never pegged you to skip school.”

He reached up and scratched the back of his neck, laughing dryly. “Really?”

She seemed to consider something. “I pegged Chat Noir, not… Adrien.”

He stilled and dropped his arm back to his side, his words stolen from his tongue.

Marinette sighed, wrapping herself tighter with her arms, and he watched her in concern, wondering if she was hurting herself by doing that.

“You shouldn’t be here,” she said, her voice quiet as she refused to meet his eyes.

He was quiet a moment, carefully studying her. “Why not?”

She paused for a long time, like her words were hanging on in the back of her throat but she was holding them back. She didn’t want to say them, she was _scared_ of saying them, like they had some sort of poison laced on them.

“Why, Mari?” he asked, his voice still careful.

She was quiet.

“Mari—”

“Chat,” she said, her voice sharp. She still wasn’t looking at him, “I can’t look at you right now, the mask—” she looked back at him, her eyes wide like she was staring fear right in the face. “It’s like I’m looking at a stranger.”

“But it’s me, Mari,” he said, taking a step forward. “It’s Adrien.”

“That’s my point!” she cried, her voice cracking. “It’s _you_ of all people and I don’t know how to deal with it being _you._ ”

“So,” he said slowly, his heart filling with dread. “You’re… disappointed it’s me.”

Her eyes went from panicked to pure confused. “I never said that—never thought it, even.” She dropped her arms and fiddled with her fingers in front of her, only staring at them and not at him.

“Then what?” he said, after a long moment of tense silence. “What is it?”

She was silent for a long time, but he could see the gears working in her head, processing and organizing her thoughts. There was a lot of clutter there, which just means she has been trying not to think about the thing she should be thinking about all day. She’s been putting off thinking about it, he could tell just by the way her tears were trying to fall and how she had been pacing when he got here.

But now, since he was standing right in front of her, she had to face it, and he felt both relieved and sorry that he was basically forcing her to face it.

“I…” she said, making him look back up at her face. “I just… wish we hadn’t found out this way.”

He nodded, “I understand.”

“It’s just all…” she shook her head, her eyes brimming with tears. “It’s too much, Adrien, and I’m…” Her face contorted and she buried her face in her hands. “I’m just breaking inside.”

He reached out and took her shoulders in his hands, trying to see her hidden face, but she didn’t seem like she was moving her hands anytime soon.

“It’s okay,” he cooed, trying to keep the distance from her incase she didn’t want a hug from him. “I understand how you feel… I was scared for you.”

She looked up at that, her wet face making his heart ache. “Scared for me?” she questioned, her voice tight. “How?”

He stared at her for a second before reaching up and tucking a wayward hair from her face, watching as she leaned into the touch, but also didn’t chase after him as he pulled away.

“I feared the worst,” he said, his voice soft. “I was worried you were going to hate me. Want to give up your miraculous, give up Ladybug.” He shook his head, “Looking at it now that sounds like my own anxieties.” He put a hand on his forehead, closing his eyes. “Sorry, I’m being really selfish right now.”

Marinette was quiet for a moment before she spoke. “You’re not being selfish.”

He looked at her.

“I was scared of the same thing,” she said, crossing her arms at her chest, like she was nervous. “Scared I was… was going to lose you because of… who I am to you.”

He panicked, “Is that what you think I was showing you? That I fell in love with the mask and not the person underneath?”

Her face went red and she looked down, her crying halting.

There was a long pause.

Chat sighed, “You know that’s not true, Marinette.”

She shook her head, “I don’t know,” she said, sounding defeated. “I just…” she chuckled, wiping her tears off her cheeks. “I just wish I could’ve found out in a better way, you know?”

Chat nodded in understanding. He couldn’t wish for something more. He wished he could fix everything, go back to that morning, go to the bathroom and look into the mirror or somehow realize his mask was off so he could warn her. He wished he could’ve said something different, he wished she wasn’t hurting because of his carelessness. He wished—

A thought, that he wished hadn’t crossed his mind, came crashing down on him.

His heart filled with dread, wanting to keep it too himself, but he also knew that would be unfair to Marinette if she truly wanted all of this to be fixed.

He took a shaky, deep breath, “What if… we made the wish?”

Marinette looked up at him suddenly, her eyes wide. “What? Why would we—”

“It’s like you said,” he said, smiling at her gently. “You wish you found out differently.”

She stilled, and her eyes became clouded with an impossible decision that she both wanted to say yes to, but also wanted to reject. He watched the battle inside her mind and wished with all his power she didn’t have to make that decision for them, but they both knew he was going to follow with whatever she decided. He would follow her anywhere, after all.

“I can’t ask you to just—just forget,” she said, looking up at him with panic in her eyes. “That’s… selfish of me.”

“It’s not selfish if it’s for your own sanity,” he said, still smiling gently at her. “There’s a difference between selfishness and taking care of yourself.”

“But what about you?” she asked, her voice tight again. “What happens to you?”

“I’ll still be here,” he said, waving off her worry. “We both just won’t remember what… what happened.”

Her leg started tapping, “Would… would I forget _everything_ I did with you?”

Images of sitting on the beach, kissing her gently and holding her hand on rooftops flashed in his mind. Her face when he told her three special words, how she clung to him and the way her eyes lit up while she sat with him, watching the sunset. Evening patrols filled with hidden kisses, running from mobs of fans, and trying different coffee stands at midnight. A delicate whisper right before their lips met for what felt like the first time, and the way she reacted to every touch of his. Her sighs of pleasure when he pushed her off the edge, her closed eyes and parted lips as she tried to control herself, her undoing the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen in his life.

He watched it all in a second, like a film reel that played all his favorite memories of her. And then, he watched as it possibly all slipped from his fingers into a bag that the master of the universe sealed up then packed away, never to be opened again. Sealing them in the stars and weaving them in and out, like a prophecy that was written in the stars, only to stay in the stars.

He reminisced in it, then smiled.

“Those were the events that lead to it,” he said, smiling at her sadly. “So yes.”

Her eyes filled with tears and she looked down, shaking her head as if rejecting the idea. “But I don’t want to lose what I have with you!” she cried, breaking down into tears.

He reached out and touched her arms, his heart empty but full at the same time. “Hey, don’t cry cause it’s ending,” he said, lifting her chin up to look into her eyes. “Smile because it happened.”

She stilled, tears rolling down her face as the room filled with silence.

A decision laid on her shoulders, one he hated to give her since it was such a burden. But in the end, he wanted her to write out her life, instead of him keeping the decision from her.

“I don’t know,” she said, looking down again.

He lifted her chin again, “You don’t have to decide right now,” he said, his voice gentle. “I’ll give you time to think it through… take as much time as you need.” He said that last part mostly out of the hope that even if she does decide to wish it all away, then he still had time to revel in the fact that Marinette was Ladybug.

She nodded, “Okay,” she said quietly. “Okay, I’ll think about it.”

He was about to say something else when a loud crash came from outside. They both jumped and looked at each other for a second before rushing to the window, looking out it. The streets filled with screams, and in the distance was a flashing light, almost like a beacon or a laser being fired.

That could only mean one thing.

“Akuma,” Marinette said, her voice filled with dread.

“Yeah,” Chat said, setting his jaw. “We’re going to have to get out there.”

When she didn’t respond he looked over at her in concern. Her eyes focused on the windowsill, her lips turned downward, like this was the last thing she needed right at this second. She looked heavy, like the situation was weighing down on her more than it was a few moments before.

“Hey,” he said, turning towards her and touching her shoulders. He met her eyes, “It’s gonna be okay, we’ve done this a thousand times before.”

“Not when—” she stopped, looking at him.

He nodded, “I know,” he said, understanding. “I know, but we’ve got a job to do now.”

She covered her face with her hands, her voice shaky as she spoke again. “How am I supposed to fight like this?!”

“Hey, snap out of it,” he said gently. “Look at me, Mari,” he said.

She did, meeting his eyes as tears fell from them.

“It’s gonna be okay,” he reassured, not leaving her eyes. “I’ll go on ahead, keep the akuma busy while you pull yourself together, yeah?”

She was silent for a moment, and he took that as an okay.

He nodded, “Okay,” he said, letting her go and turning back to the window. He looked at her one last time, “I’ll see you out there… My Lady.”

The nickname seemed to jolt her, and she suddenly reached out and grabbed his shoulder, hauling him back into the room.

“Chat, wait,” she said, her eyes wide.

He turned back to her, concerned. “What is it?”

She met his eyes, hers wide and fearful as she stared into his. For a long moment, neither of them said anything, the air between them turning misty and awkward as they continued to stare.

“Just…” she finally said, semi snapping out of it. She relaxed a little, like she was giving up, “Just be careful.”

He had a feeling that wasn’t what she was going to say, but he didn’t have time to pry her any longer.

He nodded grimly, “I will,” he said, before climbing out the window. He walked to the edge of the building and turned around to face her again. His charisma suddenly broke on his face and a grin she hasn’t seen in a while came back full force, just like old times.

“I’ll see you out there, My Lady,” he said, before he saluted her, then jumped off the building backwards, and out of sight.

. . .

And Ladybug thought she was having a bad day.

The glass window shattered behind her, and she was blown forward by the force of the explosion. She hit the ground hard and rolled to the side just in time before the lasers could blast her to smithereens.

She jumped backwards, narrowly missing the line of fire before she looked up, in search of her partner.

Chat Noir was running along the rooftops, a grim look on his face with a smudge of grime on his cheek, evidence that he had been hit.

“Chat!” she yelled, before jumping back again to avoid the fire. She cupped her hands around her mouth and looked up, “CHAT!”

He looked down at her, before rolling to the side then back again to avoid the lasers. He met her eyes only for a second before he had to move again to avoid being hit again.

“Damn it,” Ladybug said, before she looked off to the side, spotting a trashcan on the sidewalk. She swung her yo-yo towards it and the other end wrapped around it. She suddenly twisted around, jerking the trash can into the air at the akuma.

Truth Seeker, her akuma name, screeched and arched her back when the trash can hit her. She whirled around and locked her beady red eyes on Ladybug, giving Chat enough time to jump off the roof and after her.

Something happened to Ladybug after that, her red eyes bore into hers, seeking out her soul and pulling it from her body. She was frozen on the spot, her feet unable to move as Truth Seeker seemed to search through her mind, like she was copying all of them onto a flash drive then ripping it out of her brain. She felt invaded, trespassed and alarmed, yet she still couldn’t move.

Suddenly, her mind filled with images of Chat, his green eyes, and his lips moving but she couldn’t hear the words he was saying. It was like she was stuck in a loop of watching Chat Noir talk to her, but she couldn’t figure out what he was saying.

Then, her mind flinched into more intimate memories, kissing on the beach, holding her while she broke down… last night.

She cried out and fell to the ground, covering her ears and squeezing her eyes shut. “Get out! Get out! Get out of my head!” she shouted, her voice straining.

“Interesting,” Truth Seeker hissed, inching closer.

“Don’t touch her!”

Truth Seeker was suddenly knocked backwards, flying so fast she slammed through another building and proceeded to slam onto the other side of it. The images she was pulling from Ladybug’s mind suddenly were flowing easier now, and she was able to push them from her mind. Those were intimate moments between her and Chat, she wanted them to stay theirs.

Also, any more digging into her mind and Hawkmoth would’ve seen that Chat’s—

“You okay?” Chat said, kneeling next to her and putting a hand on her back.

She took a deep breath and rubbed her wrists, calming herself down. The pressure of Chat’s hand on her back also helped as she came down from her panic. She guessed she was calmer when he was touching her.

“Fine,” she said, standing.

Chat followed after her, watching her in concern. “She entered your mind to, didn’t she?”

Ladybug looked back at him, saying nothing.

His face grew from concern to understanding, pressing his lips together and studying her. He nodded, “She saw them to.”

She suddenly grew panicked. “She didn’t see—”

“No,” he said, reaching out and touching her shoulder. “No, our identities are still hidden.”

She relaxed at that, letting the calm feeling last a little longer before she had to run into danger again.

Truth Seeker suddenly yelled in outrage, and the two heroes turned back and watched as Truth Seeker barreled towards them, a look of pure hatred in her red eyes.

Ladybug took out her yo-yo, narrowing her eyes at the akuma. “Ready?”

Chat readied his baton, “Ready.”

“On my count,” she said, watching the akuma as she continued to rush towards them. “Three… two… one!”

Chat and Ladybug suddenly broke off in opposite directions just as the akuma slashed at both of them. They ran up the side of the buildings in an arc on either side, the akuma screaming after them. Ladybug pushed off with her feet from the building, before throwing her yo-yo while she was still in the air. The end of it wrapped around the akuma, yanking her forward as Ladybug landed and pulled hard on her yo-yo.

“Chat! NOW!” she yelled.

Chat got the message, and he jumped off his building, swinging his baton behind him like he was going to slam it on something. That something being the laser gun she was holding; where the akuma should be.

He was just about to hit the gun when suddenly Truth Seeker pulled hard on the yo-yo, causing Ladybug to stumble forward and fall to the ground. Chat, in turn, ended up hitting the yo-yo string, forcing it back towards Ladybug and almost snapping her hand off when it retracted towards her.

The akuma laughed loudly, a sick, gurgling laugh that echoed off the streets. The laugh didn’t even sound human, and Ladybug shivered at the sound of it.

The purple halo suddenly appeared around Truth Seeker’s red eyes, her voice becoming less crazy and saner as Hawkmoth spoke through her.

“Hand over your miraculous and I promise to make your demise swift,” she said, Hawkmoth’s threat sounding loud and clear.

Ladybug groaned and struggled to her feet, holding her arm which she had injured when the yo-yo snapped back to her. She glanced at Chat who was about thirty feet away, his baton ready in his hands and his stance still defensive. He kept his eyes trailed on the akuma, watching her every move, but his ears flicked so she knew he saw her looking at him.

“Not a chance,” Ladybug said, glowering back at the akuma.

Truth Seeker grinned, “Fine,” she said, before aiming at her. “Then I’ll just have to rip it from your dead body.”

She suddenly fired, and Ladybug didn’t have enough time to react, stepping backwards and catching her heel on a crack in the pavement. She stumbled, but didn’t fall, just as the lasers closed in.

“NO!” she was suddenly knocked down, arms enveloping her in a tight embrace as she rolled to the side, flopping under and over somebody. They finally stopped when they hit the curb, grunting when they did so.

“What were you thinking?!” said a voice—Chat’s. He sounded angry, and she tentatively opened her eyes and looked up into angry green ones. “You could’ve gotten hit! You need to focus!”

Her head throbbed, her vision blurring and going in and out as she tried to focus on the green eyes above her. Chat looked like a wet watercolor painting as the water dripped down the piece of art, his figure swirling and making her feel sick.

“What…?” she asked, her head spinning.

Chat suddenly grabbed her and jumped back, holding her bridal style as he ducked behind a car, lasers ricocheting off the car and hitting the sides of buildings. Chat set her down and she leaned against the side of the car, holding her head and closing her eyes, flinching at the loud sounds.

“I think I hit my head,” she said, her voice groggily.

Chat grabbed her arm, “Listen to me,” he said, his voice stern and a little irritated. “You need to get your head in the game, okay? You’re going to get hit.”

She looked back up at him, finding his face bent and annoyed, an uncommon look on Chat Noir. A scowl was forming on his lips, and his eyes were darker than usual. The look didn’t fit well with him, and Ladybug would’ve been scared if she wasn’t pissed with him.

“Don’t look at me like that,” she said, her voice lowered.

He huffed, “Like what?”

She gritted her teeth, “Like you’re pissed with me.”

“I am pissed with you!” he exploded, throwing his hands up. “You could’ve gotten hit and you just stood there, like you were waiting for the lasers to hit you!”

“Me get hit?” she retaliated, matching his annoyance. She poked his chest, infuriating him more. “Who here is the one _always_ getting hit, huh?” She poked him again, almost pushing him off balance in their crouch position. “You’re the one always putting yourself in front of the bullets—”

“To protect you!” he shouted.

They suddenly both jumped when lasers hit the car again and exploded the windows of the shop next to them.

“I’ll be fine,” she said, giving him an irritated look. “Don’t get pissed with me.”

“Then focus,” he shot back, making her heart drop with the venom in them. “Focus before something happens to you.”

“Get off my ass, Adrien,” she growled, before shoving him in the shoulder hard enough his back slammed into the car.

She stepped out into the open and called upon her lucky charm. A small handheld mirror landed in her hands, but she didn’t have time to inspect it since she had to dive roll out of the way to avoid lasers.

Chat soon joined her, raising his baton as he stepped out from behind the car. He shouted in outrage and attacked the akuma, his baton clashing with the gun. His burning eyes filled with rage scared her a little bit, and she felt bad because she knew she had something to do with it.

 _Not now,_ she told herself. She turned away, thankful Chat was giving her a little time as she searched around for possible ideas.

Suddenly, the akuma’s gun highlighted, then the mirror, then her red beady eyes.

She cringed, _Oh, Chat is not going to like this plan._

“Chat Noir!” she yelled, “Get her to shoot at me!”

“What?!” he cried; his anger combined with the strain of pushing against the akuma’s gun sounded pretty scary. He suddenly shoved the akuma away, looking at her like she was crazy. “Are you crazy?! I’m not doing that!”

“Just trust me!” she yelled, before backing up, holding the mirror ready.

Chat suddenly jumped out of the way, his irritation evident on his face as he followed her lead, trusting her even if he didn’t like it. He jumped up and onto a streetlight, before sticking out his tongue at her.

“Come and get me freak!” he yelled, before jumping off the streetlight to avoid her lasers. He landed on the cement and jumped back some more, leaving a line of burn marks on the pavement as he moved towards Ladybug.

Once he was about five feet from her, he jumped up to avoid another laser and landed right in front of Ladybug, shielding her from the horrifying akuma.

“Come on!” Chat yelled, his brash and cocky attitude back in full throttle. “You can’t be _that_ bad of a shot!”

Truth Seeker screamed in outrage before pointing the gun at him and pulling the trigger. The laser came fast, and Chat barely jumped out of the way in time. The laser didn’t hit the street this time though, instead, it ended up bouncing off the mirror Ladybug had extended, then it went straight into Truth Seeker’s eyes.

She screamed in agony, the burning of the laser seeping into her sockets as she tried to see but at the same time, too afraid to touch her face. The laser bore into her eyes, leaving a small stream of white smoke as the fiery substance burned into her face, giving Ladybug a very horrible feeling in her gut.

“Chat! The gun!” Ladybug yelled.

Chat nodded and ran towards the akuma, shouting “Cataclysm!” before touching the gun. The weapon suddenly crumbled to dust, and a purple, toxic butterfly flew from its’ ashes.

Ladybug could’ve collapsed with relief right there.

“No more evil doing for you, little akuma,” she said, before shouting the purifying words and throwing her yo-yo at the butterfly, catching it, then releasing a newly white, and pure, butterfly. “Miraculous Ladybug!” she yelled, throwing the mirror up into the sky and watching as the millions of little ladybugs went to clean up the city.

“Good job.”

She turned and saw a newly healed Chat Noir with no more grime on his face, giving her a tired and relieved look.

She gave him a dry smile, “Thanks,” she said quietly. She turned from him to avoid his gaze and watched as the akuma victim turned into a young woman who looked around in confusion.

Suddenly, her earrings beeped, and she touched them out of habit. She had two minutes.

“Go on,” Chat said, walking up to her and nodding his head to the side. “I’ve got more time than you.”

She dropped her hand to her side, “What about you?”

He looked down at his ring, inspecting it. “I’ve got four minutes,” he said, looking back up at her. “Enough time to get her to a safe place.”

“Yeah, I-I get that, but—”

“Ladybug.”

She met his eyes and found them soft. He studied her gently, and she suddenly found herself unable to move from her place, or rather, not wanting to move from her place. Being under his soft gaze gave her peace, and she didn’t want to leave that and return to the reality that they just gotten into a fight.

“I’ll be fine,” he continued after a moment. He nodded to the side, “Now get out of here, unless you want the whole world to see your face… other than me.”

She snorted, rolling her eyes and crossing her arms. “Whatever you say alley-cat.”

They both smiled at each other, and found that it was safe in each other’s eyes, like they were caught in a protective spell that they casted over each other.

But then the spell broke when Ladybug’s earrings warned her that she only had one minute.

“I’ll be alright,” he reassured again. “Go.”

She smiled, before reaching up to him out of habit, caressing his cheek which had caught him by surprise, but he didn’t pull away. She rubbed her thumb along his cheek bone before drawing a line under his jaw and to his chin. She scratched there, like she’s done a thousand times before, but it was a comfortable way of saying thank you when she couldn’t really find the words.

“See you around, Kitty,” she said, before leaping off into the sunlight afternoon.

As for the answer she has yet to give.

Nothing yet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys enjoyed! This story is shortly coming to an end, and trust me when I say that I have plans...
> 
> Hehe
> 
> Insta: being_happy_offical


	24. Post-Reveal/Pre-Relationship

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chat and Ladybug talk about things, and Ladybug makes her final decision about the wish...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys enjoy this chapter!

Chapter 24: Post-Reveal/Pre-Relationship.

It was fate that Ladybug found herself on top of the Eiffel Tower, sitting on the edge and looking up at the stars as they came out of their hiding places. The moon shone above her like a bright, pale spotlight, and it only added to the ambiance that she was looking for.

She needed to get away from everything; from her stuffy room, her parents always walking around the apartment, Tikki trying to cheer her up and Alya calling and constantly checking up on her. She only responded to any of them out of politeness, but after dinner, it just became mechanical. She was lying to them more than she usually did, and she hated it enough.

So, she called upon Tikki to transform her, and out her window she went. After the last week of stressing over a certain decision she was supposed to be thinking about and avoiding the one guy she can’t, she finally decided to get some head space.

For about half an hour, she sat on the Effie Tower, swinging her legs and leaning back on her arms as she thought about everything and nothing. She watched how carefree the city below her bustled around each other, trying to get home to their families at the common traffic hour. She watched as a car cut another one off, resulting in a lot of people honking their horns and shouting profanities.

Ladybug snorted; she wished she had it that easy. She was the one running around Paris, saving people from akumas, stupid people, and sometimes even themselves. It was hard enough upholding her superhero persona to the public; she was lucky enough she has kept her cool all this time.

Well, that’s mostly because someone’s presence always kept her calm.

She sighed as her thoughts turned, hopelessly, to Chat Noir—Adrien.

At this point, she has accepted the fact that things were always going to be weird once they finally revealed their identities if they ever get that far. But she was counting on setting her eyes on a stranger’s face, one she’s never met and somehow became fond of. But when she turned from the sun lit city, turning away from the safety the window offered and stared up into all too familiar green eyes, she knew she was lost.

She had drowned in them, willing herself to fall beneath the surface of his green eyes and forever be held by his gaze. She was confused, shocked, then so utterly filled with dread by who she’s been kissing, and more importantly, who she followed into bed with.

She knew it was too soon to do that, without even knowing his name. She felt like she was invading him on a level that didn’t feel right, like there had to be more to the story before they did this. But, in the end, it happened. She remembered how she tossed all thoughts of doubt to the side and trusted him with her heart, soul, and body, and he delivered the most sensual experience she has ever experienced.

In the end… she didn’t regret it.

Even if it caused both of them to fall into this downward spiral, a plummeting anxiety to the reality that this could end it all in a moment.

They may never get passed this.

She guessed that was okay, considering they’ve faced worse. They’ve gotten into worse fights, and even worse situations involving their identities. She knew Chat Noir never liked to fight with her, so it came to no surprise to her when he left the identity thing unsaid, most of the time.

He’d mention it a few times, joke or even worse give her his cute kitty-cat eyes that stared into her soul and _almost_ made her bend to his every command. He was so stubborn and upset with the fact that he didn’t know her name, and he grew sadder as time went on. She could tell just by the way he looked at her longingly, held back words that have still gone unsaid, and listened to her when she spat out her distasteful reasons.

But sometimes, he didn’t hold back. He would beg her and get down on one knee, declaring his love for her than asking her name.

She knew he loved her now, she just didn’t know it then.

But, like she always had to, she would turn away and reject him.

This has caused fights, major blowout fights that had her storming away in tears because he wouldn’t back down. She hated fighting with him, because he was always so gentle and understanding with her, it was strange to hear him disagreeing with her on something she thought at the time was morally right. She’d run, Chat calling her name as she swung into the night, not speaking to him till the next patrol since they didn’t have time during akuma attacks to talk.

He would hug her, tell her he was sorry, then she’d forgive him. Then she was would hug him, tell him she was sorry, then he wouldn’t accept her apology because he was a gentleman. But soon enough she would bother him about it until he finally accepted it from her.

She heard a pair of boots land heavily behind her, jumping her back to reality. They started walking towards her with loud thuds, like he wasn’t even trying to hide his presence.

Ladybug smiled. No matter how badly they fight, they always find their way back to each other.

She stood from the edge and turned around, the wind making her shiver as she met his green tinted eyes, soft and searching. He stopped when their eyes met, creating a beautiful scene where they stood yards apart from each other, staring into longing eyes that wanted to run, but held back. They thought they weren’t allowed to; thought they couldn’t run to the other to seek comfort they both needed.

But even if the universe forbade it, even if all the fates and the gods and the prophecies were against it, they would always run to each other.

And run they did.

Chat took off first, and Ladybug was only able to make it a few strides forward before Chat crashed into her, almost knocking them unbalanced in a bear hug. She buried herself into him, feeling the way his muscled arms wrapped protectively around her like a shield. His leather suit did nothing for his pounding heartbeat, which throbbed against her ear in a steady rhythm.

She shut her eyes tight and refused to open them, just feeling the way his warmth spread into her. The hug she felt safe in was only growing warmer, and safer.

“Chat…” she murmured his name, her voice muffled since her lips were pressed against his chest.

He cupped the back of her neck with his gloved hand, taking a deep, shaky breath before he responded in a hushed whisper.

“I’m here, My Lady,” he said, still not letting her go. “I’m here.”

She took her own deep breath, finally relaxing in his arms before speaking herself. “It’s been a while since we talked.”

He paused for a moment. “I was giving you space.”

“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean I wanted it,” she said pulling back to look at him. She met his eyes and found them attentive and painful to look at. “I… wanted you there with me.”

“Ladybug…” he said, staring at her and he pushed a wayward strand of hair behind her ear. “I… I needed space to.”

She froze, “Oh,” she said, looking down in shame. “Oh, I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry,” he said, lifting her chin back up and smiling lightly at her. “It’s not your fault.”

“Yeah, but…” she looked away, feeling her emotions already starting to build up. “But it is still _our_ fault, right?” 

He said nothing.

Ladybug sighed and closed her eyes, slacking her grip on him a little bit before looking back up and meeting his eyes.

“Chat… I think—” she stopped, turning away to hold back her sob. “I think… we should make the wish.”

She could feel the way he froze, feel the way the dread and terror seeped through his suit, passed his skin and into his bones. Feel the way how his hands started shaking against her and how his lips pressed together, closing his eyes like he was holding back a tidal wave.

Something about his reaction broke Ladybug, and she shattered into a million pieces with the way he shook in her arms, feeling his heart breaking. She hated doing stuff like this to him, she still remembers the guilt she felt after rejecting him on that rooftop, she still remembers his saddened/angry glare he had in his eyes when she rejected his rose.

The last thing she wanted to do was hurt him, but sometimes, you can only do so much till it kills them.

“Okay.”

His voice came out sharp and tight—emotionless.

She cocked her head at him, “Okay?”

He nodded at her, his eyes blank. “Okay.”

They were silent for a long moment.

And for some reason, this triggered Ladybug.

“Okay?” she asked, her voice less confused and angrier than before. “Okay? That’s all I get from you? Okay?!”

He furrowed his eyebrows at her, confused. “Well… what else am I supposed to say?”

“Say no!” she shouted, startling him and making him step back. “Say you won’t accept this! Say you can’t let this happen! Say—”

“Ladybug!” His voice was loud, sharp and gentle at the same time. His eyes were soft and worrisome as he gazed at her, watching the tears fall from her oblivious face.

“I’m not going to fight you on something you think should happen,” he said, his voice gentler. He shifted awkwardly, looking like he was trying to keep from falling to the ground. “If you want us to forget who we are under the mask…” he pressed his lips together and shrugged—it was heartbreaking. “Then I’m… okay with that.”

She stared at him for a long time, feeling the tears rolling down her face but not caring one bit. She doesn’t really remember what happened next, all she recalled from the memory was stepping backwards and saying something she doesn’t remember.

She also remembers Chat’s reaction—the way his eyes widened, his jaw fell slack, and he could only stare at her.

“What?” she asked confused, watching him.

He still only stared.

“Chat—”

“You’re sure?” he asked, his voice shaking.

She shook her head, breaking under the frustration. “Sure of what? Chat, what did I say?”

He gave her a look, “You don’t remember?”

“No!” she shouted, getting frustrated. “What did I say?”

He swallowed nervously, his nervousness creeping into his hesitant stance as he gazed at her, his eyes both filled with hope and sadness.

“You said…” he stalled, not taking his eyes off her. “You said, ‘But I love you.’”

Her eyes widened and she placed a hand on her chest, feeling her heart break inside. The words sounded so heartfelt and broken at the same time on his shaky tongue. She could see him shaking from where she stood, like he was trying to hold back a tidal wave of emotions and hold back from rushing her and pressing her against the wall behind her, keeping her from going anywhere. 

She doesn’t remember the words leaving her mouth, she doesn’t remember forming them on her tongue. But she does remember the way they formed in her mind, like little strokes of a paint brush that spelled out exactly how she felt.

Chat Noir is like a gentle breeze in a large, purple and pink valley, filled with flowers and roses and all different kinds of hidden plants. She could imagine herself dancing in it, feeling his gentle breeze dance with her as she ran and jumped and leaped around the field, him following her everywhere she went, her in turn chasing the wind. She felt like she could fly with him, let him take her up in his arms as just sour away into the clouds where they could live forever, and she was fine with that.

Eternity with the one her own tongue claimed she loves, and she doesn’t even remember it?

“Say it again,” Chat said, hesitantly stepping towards her, his arms raised in a nonthreatening manner. 

She took a step back in turn, shaking her head. “Chat, I don’t remember—”

“But is it the truth?” he asked, stopping his attempt to get closer to her and just staring at her. “Do you love me?”

She stopped to, her hands shaking. “I… I don’t—”

“Yes, you do,” he said, and it was the truth. “Just… just tell me again.”

She shook her head, looking down as he crept closer to her. She curled in on herself, holding her arms close to her chest and tensing her muscles.

“Say you love me,” he said, his voice low and gentle. He was close to her, not daring to touch her in this fragile, delicate moment between them. One single, loving touch could shatter everything. “And I’ll stay.”

She looked up at him then.

“I’ll fight for us,” he said, not leaving her eyes. “I won’t make the wish, and I’ll never forget the way I feel about you.” He leaned closer, reaching out daring to take one of her shaking hands, dipping his head to her. “I’ll never forget the way I fell for you… how I’m _still_ falling for you.” He leaned back enough, only so she could feel his breath on her lips, sending a cascading green ocean into her, wanting him closer.

“I’m still falling for you, My Lady,” he said, watching her. “Will you catch me?”

She suddenly placed a hand on his chest, feeling her heart jump in anxiety. “Chat, stop.”

He did, and he backed out of her space.

The moment shattered.

“I…” she looked at him, watching his masked emotions hide behind his blank expression. “I…”

Her mind always was terribly mean to her. It shifted from the crazy in love teenager into the protective superheroine she was, how in all of this, what position was she putting her family in? Were her friends going to be safe? What about Chat/Adrien? What happens when Hawkmoth found out about them… falling in love with each other?

Not just Hawkmoth, but once the city found out, people were going to use that against them. She was already super protective about Chat Noir, and now learning that it was Adrien under the mask only amplified it. It made her worried sick with the images of a captured Adrien, a hurt Chat Noir and his limp body hanging in her arms at her failed attempt to save him.

She covered her face with her hands, sobbing horribly. “I can’t do this,” she said, removing her hands and not daring to look at him. She turned away and started walking towards the edge of the building, still crying as she pulled out her yo-yo to leave.

Chat’s hand stopped her, and he pulled her back from the edge. She didn’t even have the will to resist him.

He enveloped her in his arms and swayed with her. It took her a moment to return the hug, feeling the way how she relaxed in his hold. She liked how safe she felt in his arms, and the action only made her love him more.

Yes, she admits it. She loves him.

She sobbed again, “Chat, we can’t do this.”

He shook his head above her, “And who says we can’t?”

“Our duty,” she said, her voice still muffled from being in his arms. “We can’t be in love and protect the city.”

“I’ve done it,” he said, rubbing her back affectionately.

She had the audacity to laugh, a laugh that was not humorous at all. “That’s because it was one sided for a long time, Chat,” she said, shaking her head against him. “It’s not longer one sided anymore. And It puts everyone we love in danger, our families, friends, you—”

“Nothing’s going to happen to me, or them,” he said, rubbing her back continuously with soothed her.

She was quiet for a long moment, just feeling herself relax further in his arms.

“Let’s just stay here,” he said finally, and she could’ve sworn she felt a tear land on her head. “Stay with me for a minute, and if you still want to make the wish… we’ll make the wish.” He hugged her closer, his breath shaky as he forced out his final words. “Just know that I don’t want to forget.”

She debated for only a second, before succumbing to the beautiful feeling in her chest that was blooming fully for the first time ever. This was the feeling she got when she kissed him for the first time and wanted to, like a thousand fireflies flying around in her head. This was the feeling she got when he had held her down and made her feel things, she never thought were possible. This was the feeling of unity and strength when it came from someone else, another being who was lending their strength and love to you.

She can’t describe the feeling if she wanted to, but the closest thing it could come to was the relieved feeling you get after finding something after it’s been gone for a while.

But when she looked at it now, she realized she was blind all along. Finding him was not finding her true feelings for him, no…

Finding him was finally letting herself love him.

And with that, she made her decision.

“I don’t want to forget,” she said, pulling back and looking him in the eyes.

He looked like he could collapse in relief. His eyes looked less burdened, his shoulders loosened up and a gentle smile broke his face. But his hold on her never slackened, despite how much he was shaking.

“We’re not making the wish,” she said, smiling up at him. “I don’t want to forget this.”

“Are you sure?” he asked, his voice filled with dread.

She nodded, “I’m sure.” She leaned back into him, closing her eyes as she said her next sentence. “I don’t want to forget what I have with you.”

He sighed and finally let her answer sink into his bones, relaxing him enough to press a kiss to the crown of her head. “Even though you never would’ve lost it?”

She smiled and snuggled closer. “Even if it meant finding you all over again.”

He was silent for a moment, “Would you? Come find me, I mean.”

She paused for a moment, remembering all the memories of him in just the last few weeks. The memories on the beach, the intimate hand holdings and the breakdowns, the need for him next to her. All the different things and images she gets to keep in her mind until the day she dies.

She’d never forget them.

“Always.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay but, i had you for a second, right?
> 
> Insta: being_happy_official


	25. Pining

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chat makes a mistake...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys enjoy!

Chapter 25: Pining

The way Chat Noir bounded over the rooftops like a lovesick kitten was just about the most joy he’s felt in a long time. Really, he felt like a little boy again with the energy in the air, Friday vibes just starting to kick in, and the fact that he had joined patrol that night with his lady. Everything felt lightweight and happy.

The sun was setting in the background, casually bouncing off the windows he passed, momentarily blinding him enough to be scared he was going to run into a wall or something. His suit glinted in the evening hours, and the sky above him had turned an orange-yellow color that had no real name to it. The grin never left his lips, speeding over the rooftops at top speed towards their usual meeting place, the Eiffel Tower.

He turned a corner, and finally caught the giant symbol of Paris in the distance, and his grin widened. The sun beams were streaming through the cracks of the giant metal structure, and the sunset creating a perfect picture that an artist would’ve had a field day with.

He came to the base of the Eiffel Tower, landing next to one of its legs and looking up. He couldn’t see much from where he stood, but his eyesight was enhanced when he was a superhero, so he was able to see the pacing figure on the very top of the tower.

He couldn’t help but smile wider, if that were possible.

He jumped onto the leg and started making his way up the tower, careful where he put his feet and hands in case he fell off. He’s had enough close calls in the past when it came to climbing large, not safe for climbing buildings, even as a superhero.

It took him less than two minutes to reach the top, panting once he clambered onto the platform, and caught his breath. He was leaning over his knees, feeling the sweat dripping down his neck after climbing up the tower at such a fast pace when two red polka-dotted feet stopped right in front of him.

He slowly raised his gaze and finally met the eyes of a stern looking Ladybug, her arms crossed, and not looking as happy as he felt.

“You’re late,” she said, her voice tight.

He could tell he should probably not push her buttons tonight… but…

He grinned, “Sorry, My Lady, got caught up with the other stray cats around my neighborhood.”

Her eyes narrowed, “I live in the same neighborhood as you.”

He tilted his head, “And I’m still the only stray you’ve seen around?”

She rolled her eyes, “Whatever, Chat,” she turned from him and took her yo-yo from her waist. “We should start on the east side tonight, the crime there has gone up in the last month.”

He smiled as he walked up next to her, “You’re on top of it as usual Bugaboo,” he said, reaching behind him and taking out his baton. “Anything I should know before we start?”

There was a pause after he asked the question, which raised a bunch of red flags he was hoping he wouldn’t see. He mostly asked the question out of respect for her—he always asks her before their joined patrols. But as she fell silent and the wind seemed to pick up at that very moment, giving him goosebumps as he looked over at her with newfound concern, he saw the tired look in her eyes.

Her eyes had bags under them, which he was stupid and didn’t notice all day at school, her eyes were turned downward, like she was staring off into space, and her shoulders slumped. It was not normal for Ladybug to have a slouch in front of anybody, because of the persona of a perfect superheroine she needs to carry on her shoulders. But as both Adrien and Chat Noir have gotten to know the new Ladybug and Marinette in the past few weeks after the reveal, he realized how much of a front she’s putting up all the time.

For so long, Chat always thought she was handling the stress of being a superheroine so well, a smile on her face as she defeats the akumas one at a time. She even handled the paparazzi, the harassers, and the insulters so well, you wouldn’t even think she was stressed or hurt. But as he got to know her, even before he knew she was Marinette, he realized that she was wearing another mask over the red and black one on her face.

And this was a mask she couldn’t just take off.

“No,” she said, which seemed like it took her a while before she answered his question. “Just…” she turned her head and he turned to meet her eyes with her and found them painful to look into. “Just… please don’t push me tonight,” she placed a hand on her arm, a gentle touch despite her tone. “I don’t want to say something that could hurt you.”

Without much else, she used her yo-yo to propel herself off the Eiffel Tower, the wind whipping at her hair as she swung off into the glowing city.

Chat gripped his baton harder, wondering what was bothering her this time. She was a little off at school today, she’s been acting jumpy with him ever since they came back together, and during patrols she seemed… sad.

Pushing all this from his mind and promising himself he would deal with it later, he extended his baton and bounded after her.

. . .

The muggers weren’t even trying. Ladybug tried so hard not to laugh as she dodged another swipe of the knife. She first backed up, then used her yo-yo to wrap around his wrist and yank it to the side, where his wrist made a sickening twist and he dropped the knife. She then swung her leg upwards until her foot had caught the string and she slammed her foot to the ground, the string under her foot.

The mugger fell flat on his face and groaned as Ladybug retracted her yo-yo. She turned around just in time to see Chat step into the mugger’s guard and slam his elbow into his face. He then slammed the guy’s face into his knee, making the guy fall forward and onto the ground, out cold.

“Wow,” Ladybug said, making Chat look back at her. She met his eyes and grinned, “Never seen you do that before.”

He grinned back and shrugged, “I had a good teacher.” He gave her a look like he was talking about her.

She furrowed her eyebrows as he stepped closer, “I never taught you that.”

He nodded, “I know,” he smiled at her. “I just watched and learned.”

_Nope._

Ladybug could feel her cheeks burning up like the air suddenly got hotter than the sun. To say she turned around quicker than a tornado is an understatement.

She spotted the man that the muggers were attacking still leaning against the alleyway wall as he watched the two superheroes converse. She took a deep breath and approached him, putting on a kind smile and forcing all the sweetness she got from both Chat’s face and words.

She extended her hand to him, offering him to shake it. “Hello, sir,” she said, shaking his hand once he met hers. “Are you alright?”

He seemed in a trance as he spotted Chat coming up behind her, his eyes wide and surprised by the two superheroes in front of him.

“Good, thanks to you,” he said, jumping out of his trance and finally meeting Ladybug’s eyes. He smiled at her, “Really, thank you. It’s not everyday I get saved from Paris’ superheroes.”

She retracted her hand from his once he let it go, giving him a smile. “It’s no problem, maybe don’t walk alone at night, you could get hurt.”

The man grinned kindly, “Worried for your fellow citizen?”

She smiled back at him, matching his charisma. “Of course, that’s my job.”

“Well, feel free the do your job all you want. I would really appreciate a visit or two from you” he said, smiling at her.

She faltered a little bit, but still spoke, “Yeah, of course, when you’re in danger.”

His eyes lit up, “Right! Yeah, of course. Anyway,” he looked down at his very expensive looking watch and cringed at the time. “Wow! Look at the time! I should get going, but my most grateful thanks to you, Chat Noir,” he said, nodding at him. He turned back to Ladybug, giving her a casual bow, “And to you, Mademoiselle Ladybug.”

That’s when the curious man straightened his shirt and picked up the briefcase he had been carrying before, then walked out of the alleyway, waving to the two superheroes until he turned the corner.

“He was nice,” Ladybug said, turning around to see Chat.

Chat’s lips were pressed together, and his eyes were averted off to the side as his fists balled up every once in a while. His stance seemed more stressed and tense than usual, and his demeanor seemed dark, which is so unlike him.

“Yeah,” he said, his voice spitting venom. “A little _too nice_.”

She gave him a curious look, “You okay?” she asked, watching him carefully. “You seem off.”

He snorted, “Yeah, says you.”

Her blood went cold from the acid in his words, surprised to how sarcastic and foreign they sounded on his tongue.

“Well,” she said, her voice breathy as she crossed her arms at her chest. “What’s gotten into you?”

He seemed to growl at her response, and she backed away hesitantly, like he was going to pounce on her. He saw her do that and his eyes softened for a moment, before they turned from an angry cold to just… cold.

It gave her a similar dread feeling she felt when she had that dream of Chat Blanc.

“Chat,” she said, about to speak some more but she caught movement right behind him, stopping her in her train of thought.

Then she saw something glint in the darkness, and her heart dropped in her stomach.

“Chat move!” she said, but before he could react, she pushed him off the side, his body slamming into the wall and watching in horror as Ladybug barely dodged the knife wielding mugger.

He’d gotten back on his feet and had a nasty bruise between his eyes as his nose dripped with blood. He seemed as crazy as a rabid dog on steroids and the insane look in his eyes was not helping her in her clumsy attempt at escape.

The mugger had caught her arm, gripping her wrist in a painfully tight grip. She tried to scramble away but the knife didn’t miss her this time, and she felt a sharp _shing_ as her cheek skin opened. His fist suddenly plowed into her face and she cried out as she tried to fall backwards, but his grip held her upright.

He seemed like he wanted to say something, but he was suddenly yanked off her so fast she didn’t even have time to catch herself as she fell to the ground, her face aching and stinging.

She looked up just in time to see Chat slam the man’s face into the wall of the alleyway, holding him by the back of his neck as he growled at the man.

“Don’t touch her,” Chat growled, his voice low and cold. “You’re going to regret that.”

“Please!” the mugger begged, his voice shrill and panicked.

“ _Please_?” Chat said, disbelief in his voice. “You’re begging for mercy when you hurt _My Lady?”_

“Chat,” Ladybug said, her voice was quiet so he didn’t hear her.

“Listen here, you son of a bitch,” he said, raising his other hand, showing his victim his claws that were _very_ sharp and close to his face. “No one gets away with hurting her,” he said, raising his hand and suddenly clawing the wall next to the man’s face, sparks going everywhere. “No one!”

“Chat!”

He jolted and he looked back at Ladybug, who was sitting on the ground, blood running down her cheek and a bruise forming under her left eye. She felt so small under his hateful glare, and she almost considered running into the night of the city.

“Stop.”

He stilled, his grip on the man slacking a little as his eyes widened in horror, realizing what he had done.

“Ladybug—”

Suddenly, the entire alleyway exploded with sirens and flashing blue and red lights. Two police cars came up on the entrance of the alleyway, the sirens cutting out but the flashing lights still blinded Ladybug. Two police officers got out of each car, four in total and entered the hallway. A woman police officer was kind enough to help Ladybug to her feet and she thanked her.

“Need any help with those?” the woman said, gesturing at her face.

Ladybug waved her off, “Thanks, but no. I’ve had worse,” she thanked her again before turning from her and finding Chat looking at her with wide eyes.

She froze, scared he was going to go dark again.

He took one very hesitant step towards her, “Ladybug, I—”

“Don’t,” she said, stepping back as he stepped forward. She didn’t wait for his response as she turned her back to him, looking up at the stars as her eyes watered.

. . .

Chat Noir has never felt more ashamed in his life. He got mad at Ladybug, nearly killed a man, then went all crazy eyes on her. She was already having a rough night, from what he could pick up on earlier, and he must’ve just added to it when he nearly tore a man to shreds in front of her.

He could still remember what the anger felt like, a boiling hot desire to rip the man’s head off that burned into his bones. It felt like his soul had left his body, leaving behind an animal-like entity that was certainly not human and definitely not him. He doesn’t know how it happened, how he’d fallen so hard into that pit, a pit that made him feel like a rabid animal. He guessed it was the combination of the jealousy he felt when he watched Ladybug and that man converse like they were exes or something, and the fact that she was being a hypocrite and asking him about his “feelings.”

He pushed that from his mind, feeling worse about thinking of her as a hypocrite. That would be the last word he should describe her as; she does nothing but care for people and she probably asked him out of her own good nature. He shouldn’t be mad at her.

But he was.

He was so _livid_ with her because his ego was getting in the way. Making up scenarios in his own mind like it was its job to make himself angry with her, even though none of this was her fault.

It was all his fault. _He_ was the problem.

He didn’t realize that could hurt more than making it her fault. He _hated_ himself because of the way he behaved, acting like the very thing Ladybug believed he wasn’t. It terrified him even more of what she might be thinking, because he knew how she was about him, and that’s not his ego talking. Even before they were “romantically involved” she has always voiced how much she hates doing this job alone. That having him by her side makes her feel safer and over all more confident.

He had no doubt she would be able to do this on her own if he was never in the picture, if he was never given a miraculous. But as she grew in her suit and as a person, developing anxieties about protecting her city, the world and the people she loves, he realized that it would’ve been almost impossible for her to do this on her own. This was a heavy job, and the burden that life demands of both of them in their citizen lives was almost too much. It wasn’t like he wasn’t confident she couldn’t do this on her own and that she needs him. No, it’s quite the opposite.

Chat Noir needs Ladybug, but Ladybug does not need Chat Noir.

Maybe it was that reality that almost made him fall off a building as he ran along the rooftops with the very woman in front of him, keeping a steady enough pace to not leave him in her dust but fast enough to stay ahead of him.

It wasn’t helping that he was basically trying not to stare at her, his guilt weighing on him more than usual. That, and the tense, cold air between them that has yet to be addressed.

Ladybug landed and stopped running on a rooftop that Chat soon followed, landing in a crouch only to stand back up again. He watched her as she walked away from him, not leaving the rooftop but also not looking at him. Her arms were crossed in front of her, her shoulders tense, and her back was turned to him like she was rejecting him all over again.

This reminder hit him like a freight train, and he flinched, his leg starting to tap in anxiety. He could feel the fear rising in his chest, like a volcano about to erupt from the very bottom of his stomach. His heartbeat quickened, and he suddenly realized that if he didn’t do something, he was going to have a panic attack.

“How’s your eye?” he asked, keeping his voice steady.

She stilled at his voice, her body tensing slightly more as she shrugged her shoulders upwards and sighed. “It’s alright,” she said, still not looking at him. “Nothing a little ice wouldn’t fix.”

He took a small, hesitant step forward. “Can I see it?”

She didn’t answer.

He stepped forward again, reaching out to her ghost. “Ladybug.”

She turned at her name and met his eyes. Her eye wasn’t swelling anymore, but it was going to leave a nasty bruise just under her left eye. The cut that was on her other cheek luckily stopped bleeding, but it still looked red around the opened skin and concerned him.

He hissed slightly, “That looks painful.”

She crossed her arms tighter and pressed her lips together, not saying anything.

He stepped even closer, hesitantly reaching out to her. “Can I…?”

She wasn’t stepping back or saying no as his hand reached up to her face, so he carefully placed his hand over her left cheek, his thumb stroking the bruised skin. She closed her eyes and slightly contorted her face, but her shoulders relaxed from their tense state and she leaned into his touch. He smiled sadly at her reaction, slightly relieved that she wasn’t revolted with the idea of him touching her.

He reached out with his other hand and carefully touched her arms with his fingertips, asking her permission. She stepped slightly closer to him and he took that as an invite to gently pry her arms off her body so he could wrap his arm under hers and around her back. He cradled the back of her head as he stepped into her embrace, holding her delicately. He felt her arms come up and wrap around his back as well, gently pulling him closer, if that were possible.

They stayed like that for a long time, just swaying with each other as the noises of the night finally settled around them like a buzzing cloud.

Ladybug shifted in her embrace, sighing deeply. “For a second I forgot that you’re really gentle.”

The guilt came back full force and he sighed heavily. “I’m sorry,” he said, his voice tight with emotion. “I…” he shook his head, angry with himself. “I was… a little jealous with the way that guy was flirting with you—”

“Flirting?”

“—and I got ahead of myself,” he said, leaning back and stepping out of their embrace, feeling like he didn’t deserve it. “I got angry, then earlier you seemed bothered and I snapped at you then—” he stopped, feeling the mouse he was trying to swallow scratching at his throat. “Then the mugger hurt you and I-I couldn’t protect you,” she raked a hand through his hair, looking off to the side because he couldn’t stand looking at her with the guilt weighing on him like a thousand tons. “I just saw red, and I couldn’t control it,” he finally looked up at her, a helpless look in his eyes. “I’m sorry.”

Ladybug had crossed her arms at her chest again, studying him like she was dissecting a frog in science class. He couldn’t read the look in her eyes, except that they were blank sheets of a wet window trying to calculate a difficult math problem.

That look gave him even more dread, the anxiety returning ten-fold as he stared at her, too afraid to look away but stubborn enough to continue staring back.

She finally licked her lips and seemed to snap out of her trance, blinking rapidly like she was trying to get rid of images in her head.

“Chat,” she said, saying his name like she was tired of saying it. “First of all, I knew that guy was flirting with me, and if he wasn’t, he was just being nice. But you don’t need to worry about him, he’s just someone we had to save, and he is still a citizen of Paris. Tons of guys have hit on me before, but it’s not like I would go home with the first guy that gives me one cheesy pick-up line,” she chuckled slightly, a though occurring to her. “If I was that shallow, I would’ve gone home with you years ago.”

Chat tried really hard not to blush. He really did.

“Second,” she continued, her tone a little more upbeat after that last comment. “I’m Ladybug. I’m going to get hit, sometimes harder than others. Yes, I know you feel… protective over me, I know that much,” she said all this with slightly pink cheeks. “But just know you can’t protect me from every single hit. I’m tougher than I look. I’m not some damsel in distress and I can take care of myself.” She smiled at him, a sweet smile of understanding. “But it’s sweet of you for caring.”

He smiled back at her, feeling less anxious than he was before.

“And third,” she said, her tone softening a bit. “About earlier…” she cringed at the memory, avoiding his eyes. “I just… I’m still getting used to the idea of you being… Adrien under that mask. It keeps me up at night, and when I do sleep it’s filled with nightmares and I can’t catch one single wink of peaceful sleep…” she trailed off and took a deep breath, looking back up at him. “But I’m okay, I’m just… adjusting.”

He nodded, another concern on his mind for her. “You’re having nightmares?”

The question seemed unexpected for her and she hesitated for a second before nodding.

He studied her for a moment, “Are they similar to the one you had on the beach?”

She hesitated again, before nodding.

Instinctively, he reached out and took her hand, “You know I’m never going to get akumatized.”

“You don’t know that.”

“Hey,” he said gently, searching her eyes. “No matter what happens, I’ll keep my cool. For you.”

She smiled at him, nodding. “Okay,” she said, before she is stepping into his embrace again, sighing as she was basically swallowed into his arms. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders, pressing his chin into her hair and sighing, feeling his anxiety and worry slowly slip away and into the dead of night.

. . .

Ladybug found herself stuck. Literally, her butt was planted to the top of this rooftop and there was no drastic time, fundamental need or type of food that could lift her from the very place she was sitting.

And that very place, being right next to Chat Noir.

For the past hour, they have been talking about everything and nothing from the way the teacher yelled at a student today, to the proper way to eat a cupcake. They laughed, joked, teased, and more importantly, tied up any awkwardness that was knowing each other’s identities in a little bag and threw it into the ocean.

She felt safe in that little bubble, knowing his real name while he wore a mask next to her, arguing with her about how the bottom half of a cupcake should go on the top. It felt normal. Secure.

“You’ve got it all wrong,” Chat said, shaking his head disapproving at her. “The bottom half is literally meant to be the top half of the bun!”

“It was made that way for a reason!” Ladybug said, exasperated by this heated argument. If they were going to argue about anything, she hoped it would stick to the right ways to eat pastries. “You’re supposed to eat it _how it was made._ Not like a hamburger, which has its own eating style.”

“Hey!” he said, crossing his arms and giving her a pouty look. “Don’t criticize this side of the argument.”

“There is no argument!” she said, half laughing because this was really stupid and fun. “Eat the pretty thing the way it’s supposed to!”

He pouted his lip. “No.”

She rolled her eyes and looked into the distance, feeling sorry for all the neighbors to hear this. “You’re absolutely impossible.”

“Hey, it’s not my fault that you’re discriminating against those who eat cupcakes _differently_ than you,” he winked at her. “Better not let Nadja know.”

“Oh yeah,” she said, giving him a sarcastic look. “I’ll make sure not to slip up when the next akuma turns up. Can’t let that get out.”

He chuckled and finally let the topic rest, leaning forward on his knees and watching the stars sparkle in the distance. Ladybug also turned her head in that direction, finding the stars twinkling above their head as the night hours passed by. Everything in the distance dwindled by, the streetlights, the buildings, some taller and shorter than others. She doesn’t know why she noticed such an insignificant detail, but she guessed it reminded her of all her fears and worries about everything.

It was literally like that Let it Go song, _it’s funny how some distance makes everything seem small, and the fears that once controlled me can’t get to me at all._

And yet another thing she noticed that was super cheesy.

She looked over at Chat Noir and watched him, finding his gaze locked on the stars above him. His lips were slightly parted in amazement while his eyes followed the lines of the constellations she knew he was looking at. She found his presence, even when he wasn’t looking at her, very calming. The way his body relaxed next to hers, and the way he seemed to draw her closer to him without even trying, it was amazing.

The secret look she was giving him made her feel a lot of things at once. She felt the tranquil feeling of just sitting with him, and the want to stay in this peaceful moment with him forever. She felt the very not calm feeling that excited her bones and made her heart pound harder, rattling against her rib cage. She felt the desperation of keeping him close and touching her, the heartache of just losing him to anything that made her both frustrated and overly protectively. She felt her heart tugging in her chest, reaching out to him, her heartstrings straining against her insides and pulling on her heart. She felt Chat Noir playing her heartstrings like a harp, delicately writing out the music that suddenly had her falling.

And falling _hard._

She smiled lightly as she felt her cheeks heating up, creating a small blush as she realized what emotion she was feeling.

_“Ladybug,” he said, his voice warm as it hit her neck, making her shiver. “Don’t worry about the future, My Lady, it will take care of itself.” He craned his head and kissed her neck, making her insides turn to mush. “You just need to worry about the right now.”_

_She hummed against him, snuggling closer. “I like right now,” she said, hugging him tighter._

_There was no way she was letting him go, not until she absolutely had to._

The memory seemed so long ago, but she remembered it, she remembered how she felt lying under the golden sunset, feeling its’ rays pour down on her like a hot shower, feeling his hand in hers. She remembered the feeling then to, the feeling that she was safe, secure and completely his, even before she admitted it to herself.

They still weren’t what she wanted them to be, in fact she wanted to grab his collar and tug him over for a deep and passionate kiss. She wanted to pour all of her emotions into the kiss, forcing the three little words through the way she kissed him and how much she needed him.

She almost did.

But she figured that if she did that, the universe would blow it up in their faces again, and they would have to start all over, if they were even willing. If that happened, they might think it wasn’t meant to be, that their connection wasn’t real and that they were meant for someone else. She knew how hard it was for Chat to accept that she was in love with someone else for years, and she knew how it felt as well with how long she’s been pining over Adrien while still being miraculously blind. She hated the idea of having to get over him all over again.

But if they really were meant to be together, then things would work out in the end. It’s like Chat Noir said all those weeks ago. The future would take care of itself, and therefore, she shouldn’t worry about it, especially when she was positive she saw him in her future.

It wasn’t the right time, and she was okay with that. And the pining might be a little more intense now that she knew how he felt about her and how she felt about him.

But pining is good.

It reminded her that she still wanted him.

Or rather, that she still loves him.

And that was enough for right now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed! 
> 
> Insta: being_happy_official


	26. Sacrifice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sacrifices... we all know where this is going.

Chapter 26: Sacrifice

The birds in the trees were chirping endlessly while the sun streamed down in beautiful spotlights. The afternoon was perfect, flowers blooming, trees swaying in the wind, the sun hitting Marinette’s face just right, and not to mention the really hot blond acting like an adorable kitten.

Marinette couldn’t ask for anything more, not when she was spending the afternoon with her favorite person. They were sitting on a blanket they set down in the shade near the park entrance, and Marinette had brought a bunch of different pastries, goodies and fruits for their binge eating session before Adrien has to be back at his house.

Marinette was currently trying to swallow a strawberry while Adrien balanced a spoon on his nose, making her giggle and afraid to choke on the fruit. She giggled until she couldn’t breath and was forced to swallow the strawberry bite whole with a painful gulp.

She gagged and pounded her chest with her fist, laughing all the same as she tried to remember to breath.

“You okay?” Adrien asked, his goofiness leaving for only a second out of concern for her.

She coughed once more, “Yeah, Yeah,” she felt herself trying hack out a lung. “I’m good.”

Adrien snorted, “You sure? ‘Cause you sound like my grandmother trying to cough up her stomach.”

Marinette wrinkled her nose, “Thanks for providing me a visual.”

He smirked while taking another bite of his sandwich, looking back at the park in front of him and leaning back on his free hand. He seemed to chew happily, his eyes wide and bright while his mouth did all the work for him. She dropped her eyes to his sandwich and noticed that all his crust was gone along the edges, bite marks left around the rim.

“Why are you eating the crust first?” she asked, giving him a very judgmental look just to tease him.

Adrien momentarily stopped chewing, giving her a perplexed look like she was crazy. He proceeded to chew and swallowed his food hard before turning to her, mock annoyance in his eyes.

“First of all, don’t judge me,” he said, making Marinette snort. “Second of all, so I can finish with the delicious gooey center,” he presented his half-eaten sandwich with no crust like it was some kind of medal. “It’s not every day I get to eat peanut butter and jelly.”

Marinette rolled her eyes and went for the other fruit container, which had honey dew and cantaloupe chunks inside. “Jeez, Plagg’s having a really big affect on you, huh?”

Adrien looked like he was going to protest, but a black blur suddenly crossed their vision and floated between them like he was some professor at a prestigious college.

“For the record, Adrien,” Plagg said, turning to his holder. “That does sound like something I would say.”

Adrien sneered, “Yeah, about camembert.”

“Plagg,” Tikki said, flying out from Marinette’s purse. “Stop bothering these two while they’re on a date!”

It was hard to tell who spoke first. To say that the two “lovebirds” looked panicked was and understatement. Marinette, with a very red face, had almost spilled the open container of fruit all over the blanket trying to look in disbelief as she tried to explain exactly what Adrien was trying to say. Well, Adrien had worse luck. He accidentally dropped his sandwich on his pants and got his jeans all gooey from the peanut butter and jelly.

He was still cleaning it off when he said: “What we’re trying to say is,” he said, frustratingly trying to rub the peanut butter from his jeans, getting more frustrated that it wasn’t coming off. “We aren’t together.”

Marinette was worried he was going to chop off his leg with how hard he rubbed his pants, and she reached out and touched his hand, making him still.

“Calm down, Adrien,” she said, taking her thermos of cold water from her picnic basket and pouring some ice water on the pants leg. It wasn’t perfect, but it got most of the gooey peanut butter and sticky jelly off his pants leg; just enough so that his father didn’t notice before he got to his room and changed.

Adrien sighed and inspected his pants, groaning. “My dad is going to kill me.”

Marinette looked up at him, growing sympathetic for him. She already knew about him and his father not getting a long that well, mostly because his dad was an anti-social fashion designer, even to his own son. To know that both Adrien and Chat Noir have to deal with this kind of burden hurts her, because putting on the mask and keeping it from his strict father must be hard, and not to mention the countless times he’s had to skip classes because of akumas.

She looked back down on the wet blotch, “It’s not that bad,” she said, looking back up at him. “Throw it in the washing machine and it’ll be good as new.”

He sighed, not looking at her. She hated when he did this, avoiding her eyes when something clearly was bothering him. She guessed she was a hypocrite, considering she did the same thing, but that didn’t make it any the more reason he should face his problems alone. Following her example for this kind of situation was definitely not the right move.

“Nathalie does my laundry sometimes when I’m too busy,” he said, his tone defeated. “She’ll find it and tell my father, then he’ll get mad at me for spilling food on my pants and eating peanut butter.”

Marinette scrunched her eyebrows together in concern, “Does your dad get mad at you for eating peanut butter?”

“And anything that’s mildly fattening,” he said, shaking his head. “I’m on this special diet because of my modeling career, and my dad is making me, so I don’t really have a choice.” He sighed, stretching out his legs and leaning back some more, relaxing a little bit. “That’s mostly why I had to sneak out to meet you, so my dad didn’t know I was coming to eat ‘fattening foods that will make me, surprisingly, fat.’” He said that last bit with air quotes, half rolling his eyes in annoyance, most likely mocking something his father or dietician said.

Marinette was shocked, “You snuck out to meet me?”

He gave her a half glance, “Did I forget to mention that?”

“Adrien!”

“Listen, it’ll be fine,” he reassured, taking one of her hands and giving her a soft smile. “I promise I’m not gonna drag you into my father to son rivalry.”

“That’s not what I’m worried about,” she said, squeezing his hand. “If you got caught, your dad would ground you for a month, a least. Then, he’ll think I’m a bad influence on you and not let you hang out with me at all.” She stopped to take a deep breath, calming herself. “I’m not worried about myself, Adrien, I just… I know that you like to hang out with me, Nino and Alya. You’ve said before that we’re kind of like an escape from your household, right?” When he nodded, she continued. “Please don’t risk your limited hangouts with us just because you want to come eat PB&J with me.”

He smiled at her, a warm smile that had no hint of irritation in it like it had only a few minutes ago. He picked up her hand and held it delicately in his own hands, fiddling with her fingers like she was some precious china.

He looked back up at her, still smiling. “The times when I have the most fun, my favorite moments, are when I’m with you, My Lady.” He leaned forward and kissed her nose, a gentle gesture that had her blushing all the way to her toes. “And I would give up everything for just that.”

He has never said her nickname outside the suits before, at least not like that, and somehow the experience was more intimate than anything she’s ever experienced. She was lost in his eyes, wondering how they went from playful, to depressed, to romantic all in under five minutes.

Jeez, this emotional roller coaster was going to give her vertigo.

Her face suddenly exploded with color, and she could tell that Adrien had noticed just by the way his grin widened into a cocky smirk.

Marinette snapped out of her daze and pulled her hands free suddenly, giving him an over exaggerated horrified look.

“You’ve said that before!” she said, her voice almost giving out from how bad she was shaking. “Where did you say that?”

He shrugged, dropping from his romantic side to his casual side as he leaned back and looked around the park again. “I don’t know, maybe a few years ago?”

She matched his relaxed state and also leaned back, taking a deep breath and watching as a few leaves flew off the branches, dancing in a green tornado along the grass. She went through her old memories, the days when she was refusing to admit her feelings for Chat Noir and when she was a nut case about Adrien.

She snapped her fingers, “Gamer. The second time he got akumatized.”

Adrien’s eyes grew understanding, “Right, Max,” he cringed, shifting his weight. “Poor dude.”

She nodded, a thought occurring to her. “Now that I think about it, all of our friends have been akumatized.”

Adrien was silent a long time as Marinette stared at a single blade of grass, watching as it swayed in the breeze.

“I haven’t been akumatized,” Adrien said, his tone making her think he was trying to cheer her up.

The statement only hurt her worse, because he didn’t know. He didn’t know that he has been akumatized, even if it wasn’t in this timeline. She’s seen him at his worse, a white blur of destruction that could blow the entire universe to a smudge in space. Chat Noir was a dangerous person when you get on his bad side but considering the akuma brings out the worst of a person, only made the memory ache more.

But she didn’t say anything. She couldn’t.

Now when there were zombies running around Paris.

There was a loud scream from behind them and they whipped around, to find people but… not. Their skin was a sickly pale green in the sunlight, while their faces have sunken in leaving a skeleton like figure. The slouched over themselves, their clothes hanging off their bodies like a saggy grandma who has been underwater for too long.

And there was a least thirty of them just outside the gates.

Adrien stood up, followed by Marinette, both staring wide eyed at the scene.

“Are those…” Marinette started.

“Zombies?” Adrien finished, his voice sounding a little terrified. “Yeah, I think so.”

One of the ugly creatures turned its greasy head towards them, its eyes suddenly recognizing that they were not any of his mindless buddies. It pointed at them and made a strangled scream sound, bringing all the other zombie’s attention in their direction.

Marinette backed up as the zombies saw them, “Run!”

They both turned tail and ran in the opposite direction, feet pounding on the grass before they met the closed off gate. The jumped it then continued running, now running full speed through the streets.

Marinette’s heart was pounding in her chest, the wind whipping at her hair and making her feel terrified that she might get blown back or something. She could hear the zombies running behind them, their own feet pounding on the cement in a surprisingly fast pace.

She peeked behind her and almost panicked in fear as she saw how fast the zombies were. Both she and Adrien had to sprint just to stay ahead of them.

“We need a place to transform!” Marinette said, already feeling herself getting tired.

Adrien looked back at the zombies, “No kidding!” he shouted, before looking around, trying to find a place where they could hide out and transform in safety.

Marinette spotted the old movie theater up ahead, a place that looked evacuated because of the sudden apocalypse. She reached over and grabbed Adrien’s hand, before turning a corner and bolting down an alleyway, running so fast they turned the next corner before the zombies turned the first corner.

They were able to get to the back entrance where, thank God, it was unlocked, and they slipped inside. Adrien grabbed the handle and pulled it shut, leaning back and holding it against the frame incase something decide to try and rip it off its hinges. They waited for a moment, and then half a second later, they heard the pounding footsteps of the zombies running past them, their inhuman screams making Marinette shiver.

Once they were gone, both of them leaned back against the wall and closed their eyes, taking a few moments to breath before they had to transform and head back out there.

“We should go to the roof,” Adrien said, taking her hand and leading her down the dark hallway. “We can transform in here then use the rooftops to avoid any zombies.”

“I can’t believe this is happening,” Marinette said, squeezing his hand. “I can’t believe there is a literal _zombie apocalypse_ outside.”

Adrien stopped right when they were going to round a corner, pressing his back against the wall and twisting his head enough to peek around the corner.

He turned back to her, “Coast it clear, c’mon.”

He pulled her along the darkened hallway of the theater, the lights above them flickering as they passed under them. The couches and the ornaments that usually hung around the hallway for decoration were all scattered on the floor, making the shiver crawl up her spine even more.

“I don’t like this,” she whispered, gripping his hand tighter. “What if some are still in here?”

“Then let’s change right now,” he said, turning towards her. He opened his shirt and out came Plagg, looking a little more off than usual.

“Zombies,” Plagg said, shivering a little bit. “Why’d it have to be zombies?”

Adrien called Plagg to transform him and in an explosion of green light, Chat Noir suddenly appeared in front of her with his feline eyes looking haunted in the lighting.

Marinette reached down to open her purse when—

“Watch out!” Chat yelled, before grabbing her and yanking her backwards. He held her to his side as he reached behind him to grab his baton. He extended it and suddenly, the end of it smashed right through the head of a zombie that had somehow creeped up behind them. The zombie crumpled to the ground like a soggy cracker then proceeded to slightly flinch.

Chat retracked his baton, staring down at the twitching zombie with a look of shock on his face. Marinette tucked herself further under his arm, her heart pounding in her chest as she realized she was _that close_ to becoming one herself.

“Are they…” she wanted to look away but at the same time she couldn’t. “Are they turning the Parisians into zombies? Is this an akuma thing?”

“What else could it be?” Chat said, peeling his eyes from the zombie and back to her. His face suddenly bent in concern as he watched her face scrunch up. “Hey, whoa.”

“I’m okay,” she said, sniffling a little. She didn’t know why she suddenly felt like crying, she’s been in worse situations than this. She sniffed again before taking a deep breath, composing herself before she looked back up at Chat. “I’m just… that was really close.”

“It’s okay to be scared,” he said, still holding her close. “I’m scared.”

“These are the people I’m supposed to be protecting,” she said, gesturing down at the fallen citizen. “How am I supposed to protect them when I get scared that easily?”

“Stop beating yourself up,” he said, leaning down to her level and grabbing her shoulders. “I know you feel a little overwhelmed right now, but we don’t have time to think about everything that could go wrong.” He reached up and tucked a strange of hair behind her hair, the gentle gesture softening her and calming her anxieties. “Just transform, and let’s do our job.”

She stared at him for a moment, before closing her eyes and leaning forward. She pressed her forehead against his and sighed in relief, feeling the intimate moment taking a toll on her. She felt her muscles relaxing and her emotions calming down, the lump in her throat soon became easier to swallow, and she was able to take a steady breath.

“You’re right,” she said, nodding against him. She took another deep breath, breathing in his wonderful scent that calmed her before leaning back. She stepped backwards and opened her purse as Tikki flew out, looking concerned herself.

“This is unlike any akuma you two have fought before,” Tikki said, looking between them. “You two be careful and watch each other’s backs.”

Marinette nodded, smiling lightly at Chat before closing her eyes and calling Tikki to transform her. Soon, the two superheroines were standing in a haunted hallway with flickering lights and a lot more confidence.

Ladybug was about to suggest they head out when a loud crash suddenly came from down the hallway where they just came. The looked in that direction and found two dozen zombies drooling and snarling in their direction, pointing at them and yelling something incoherent.

“Shit,” she said, both of them backing up.

She saw Chat drop down next to a upside down couch, lifting it and then tossing it down the hallway with a loud grunt. It blocked most of the hallway and it slowed the disgusting creatures down, but it wasn’t enough to completely stop them. They both turned to run out the front entrance when they saw a bunch of zombies scratching at the windows, then breaking them with their own bodies, causing them to bleed from various places.

“We’re trapped,” Chat said, looking at both groups as they started to close in on them.

Ladybug looked to her right and saw the lady’s room, the doors wide open. A light bulb went off in her head and she grabbed Chat’s arm, pulling him into the washroom then slamming the door shut.

“Find a way to block it!” she said, turning around and looking up at the ceiling, looking for an air vent.

Chat tore off one of the wooden legs of the stool that was sitting in the middle of the of the room and jammed it through the two handles of the doors. He tore off another one just to be safe, and as soon as he did, the door started shaking as the zombies tried to get in.

“I hope you have a plan, My Lady,” he said, backing up and watching the door anxiously. “When they get through that, we’re gonna be cornered.”

She walked further into the bathroom, looking above the sinks and stalls, even at anything on the ground they could escape through. She finally spotted an air vent that should be big enough for the both of them in the corner of the last stall on the ceiling.

“C’mon!” she said, and they ran for the last stall. She got inside and Chat followed, locking the stall door for good measure just as she was climbing up on the toilet, reaching up and pushing the air vent up and inside the vent, creating a way for them out of the washroom.

“Help me up!” she said, and Chat held his hands together so that she could step up and into the vent. Just as Chat was grabbing the sides of the vent to pull himself up, the washroom doors gave way and they were ripped off its hinges. They both paused to look back just as the zombies swarmed the room, spotting them, then screamed in anguish at their want for their brains.

“Move!” Ladybug screamed, trying to help Chat up as they closed in on the stall they were in. Chat finally got up just as the zombies climbed under and over the stall, growling and drooling all over the floor. Chat grabbed the air vent seal and slammed it into the opening, making it dent and stuck so that it was hard to move.

“Go, go, go!” Chat said, ushering her forward. The air vent started rattling as they crawled around the first corner, and by the fifth corner, they heard it snap and the familiar, haunting sounds of zombies filled the vents as they piled in.

“Go left!” Chat called from behind her.

Ladybug made a left and found herself an opening to the outside. She pushed against it hard and it soon gave way and she scrambled out of it, standing up and finding zombies in the distance, but they were far enough that they could get away in time.

Chat climbed out after her and grabbed her arm, “We need to go. _Now.”_

“Hold onto me,” she said, before wrapping an arm around his waist as he wrapped his around her shoulders. She used her yo-yo to swing upwards, just as the zombies in the vents were snatching at their ankles and they flew through the air. They landed on some building, and luckily, there were no zombies on the rooftops yet.

“This is insane,” Ladybug said, shaking her head as she leaned over herself, panting. “I must be dreaming right now.”

“Well if you’re dreaming, I must be living in the same nightmare,” he said, straightening as he looked over at her. “You okay?”

She nodded before straightening herself, taking a deep breath. “Yeah,” she said, looking around as the zombies terrorized what little humans were left. “I’ll be fine.”

He nodded, studying her for a moment in concern before turning his head towards the streets below. His eyes suddenly widened, and he pointed downwards, “Humans!”

Ladybug snapped her eyes in the direction he was pointing, and sure enough, there were about five people running as fast as their legs could take them away from a horde of zombies that was trying to catch them.

“C’mon!” she said, before jumping off the building after them, Chat close behind her.

They dropped right behind the people, and quickly realized they were a bunch of teenagers that were scared out of their minds. Ladybug and Chat Noir grabbed them as quickly as possible and brought them to high ground, barely missing the speedy zombies that growled once they were out of reach.

“Go and hide,” Ladybug said, pointing at the staircase that lead to the apartments below.

Once they were gone, Ladybug and Chat jumped back down the building, facing the zombies finally. They tore through their ranks, screaming bloody murder as the fought hard against the inhuman creatures. They tore and hit the heroes, but no matter how many times they were knocked down, they got back up.

Ladybug used her yo-yo to deflect a blow from a zombie, then swept her leg underneath him that knocked down two other zombies. She did a spin with her legs flailing above her on her back before vaulting onto her feet, spinning her yo-yo fast and swinging it around the zombies. She decapitated several by spinning her yo-yo in a circle at high speeds around her like she was a tornado. She threw her yo-yo upwards and it caught on a streetlight. She pulled upwards and was able to kick a few more to the ground.

But now matter how many they knocked to the ground, even more seemed to replace them. They came in droves that were almost overwhelming.

Ladybug was suddenly pushed backwards, and she did a few backward rolls before rolling onto her side into an intersection of the street. She groaned as she got up, looking back at the zombies, and finding about fifty of them facing her, snarling and growling at her like she was lunch.

Chat suddenly was knocked into the air and he went flying over the wall of zombies, crashing hard a few yards in front of her before rolling to her feet.

“Chat!” she cried, kneeling next to him and helping him roll over as he groaned. He landed weird on his leg and he groaned as he stood up with Ladybug’s help. Once he was upright, he was leaning on his good leg and holding one eye shut, like he was trying to unsee this unforgiveable sight.

“There’s too many,” she said, watching as the zombies seemed to still before them, watching the two superheroes like they were the prey.

Chat nodded, reaching up and holding his arm. “It’s like they’re everywhere at once.”

One of them in the front suddenly charged, its gross yellow teeth making Ladybug sick as she wrapped her yo-yo around him then wire cut him in half. This seemed to trigger the rest of them, and they all pushed forward, screaming at the heroes.

Ladybug jumped to the side as she dodged a few attacks from the zombies, before being surprised from behind and getting kicked forward.

That’s when she saw it.

In the distance, just down the road, was a giant, orange, blob. It covered an entire skyscraper, and it had long tentacles coming out from random places. It seemed to be humming, because the loose rocks on the road around her were jumping up and down like an earthquake was attacking the city. 

“Holy—”

“Ladybug! Watch out!”

Something slammed into the side of her head and she crumpled to the ground, her ears ringing as the white noise took over. She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to block out any noise that could completely shatter what was left of her ear drum, if any.

Something fell next to her, she could feel that in her bones, then someone, strong, desperate hands grabbed her by the arm and lifted her up.

Chat’s face appeared in her vision, and his eyes looked panicked. He was saying her name, yet it sounded like he was miles away from her. She couldn’t tell if the headache was making her see things, or was making stuff up, because she was one hundred percent sure she saw a giant orange blob in the distance.

“Ladybug,” Chat Noir said, his voice gentle and ringing in her ears. “Ladybug, please wake up.”

“Ow,” she said, feeling the throbbing beginning to come one. She touched her head, feeling a bump started to form, “Did you get the number of the bus?”

Chat almost looked like he could laugh, but then realized that probably wasn’t a good idea.

“Hey, hey,” he said, prodding her awake by forcing her head back up since she started nodding off. “Stay awake, My Lady. We need you.”

“Head,” she moaned, feeling like an emptiness of sleep was calling her name. “Hurts.”

“I know,” he said, his voice sounding sympathetic. “But I need you to stay conscious, okay? Can you do that for me?”

She slowly nodded, regretting it as her head pounded harder.

“Good,” he said, then his face moved upwards, like he was searching for something. “We’ll find a safe place to rest for a minute until you can gain your strength back. But I need you to stay awake, okay?”

She groaned in response, forcing her eyes to stay open as Chat got up and leapt from the ground and onto a building, where he sat down gently and leaned against a wall, holding Ladybug close to him. She snuggled close as they both tried to stay awake, trying to remember to keep their breathing even as the panic around them seemed to be swelling like a massive bruise.

“This is…” Ladybug said, pinching her arm to keep herself awake. “Hard.”

Chat gasped and laughed at the same time. “No kidding,” he said, lifting his head from the back of the wall to look down at the little lady in his arms. She was lying on her back and her head was resting in his lap, her eyes glassy and brimming with tears at the pain.

Ladybug felt Chat place a hand on her head, gently caressing her hair and avoiding any bruised areas.

“We should get back out there,” Chat said, his voice borderline dreadful.

Ladybug groaned in response, placing a hand on her forehead. “I need another minute.”

Chat hesitated before relenting, leaning back again and closing his eyes, them moving around under his eyelids.

Ladybug felt overwhelmed as she tried to cover her tears with her hand, her lips worrying as she tried to hold back the sobs that were building in her throat. She suddenly had to take a deep, shaky breath, and she could tell that Chat noticed by the way he shifted and looked down at her.

“Ladybug,” he said gently, taking her arm away from her eyes. His eyes widened at the tears that were rolling down her face, and he immediately wiped them away, only for them to be replaced with more. “Hey whoa,” he said, lifting her until she was in a sitting position so he could look at her better. “You know it’s going to be okay, right?”

She sobbed and shook her head, “Chat, I’m just so overwhelmed,” she said, her voice cracking. “I’m supposed to save this city and I get beat in the head by some zombie. Now there’s a giant blob monster I haven’t seen before—”

“Blob monster?” Chat asked, confused.

She pointed at the giant orange blob that was covering an entire skyscraper in the distance, the humming of its body making Ladybug feel hopeless because it was just _so big_.

“I can’t do this,” she said, covering her face with her hands. “I can’t do this anymore, Chat!”

“Stop it,” he said, taking her wrists and pulling them from her face. He met her eyes and they held so much pain yet so much love that she stopped crying. “You can do this. You’re the only one who can do this. You are strong, powerful and a badass.” He smiled at her, relaxing her aching heart. “Master Fu chose you for a reason, now you need to choose how to defeat that son of a bitch.”

She shook her head, coming out of her shock. “How do I fight that?” she said, gesturing at the blob monster.

He watched her helplessly, “Ladybug—”

“I can’t do this, Chat Noir,” she said, giving him a look of giving up. “I can’t do this anymore. It’s too much. I’m revoking my miraculous. Someone else will take my place, someone better. I am not worthy of this miraculous if I just give up so easily—”

Chat’s lips were suddenly on hers, completely silencing her in her self-doubt rant. His lips were still, but a warmth flowed through his lips and into hers, silencing all her anxieties and fears that said the wrong things about her. Her mind went completely blank as she gave into the kiss, closing her eyes and letting his lips gently caress hers. His hands came up and held her face delicately, opening his mouth to capture her lips again, making her sigh against him, a feeling of peace overtaking her.

When Chat finally pulled away, he pulled away slowly, not leaving her personal space but leaned back enough to stare into her eyes, his own pleading.

“Stay,” he said, his voice tight with emotion. “Stay, please.”

She stared at him, her eyes wide and her mind silent. She waited for the words to come up, for the defeated, self-loathing person she knew she was. Ever since she lost Chat the morning after, she has been distraught, but as he kissed her just now, it was like all her grief and anxiety has been silenced.

So, there was no way in hell she was giving that up.

“I will,” she whispered back.

She would have kissed him again if it weren’t for the growling that came below them. They both looked down and saw maybe seventy, eighty, maybe even one-hundred zombies gathered at the bottom of the building they were on. They were ugly and snarling up at them, like they were going to be their next meal. They might be if they don’t start moving.

Ladybug and Chat Noir stood, a newfound strength coursing through their bodies. Their beat-up bodies were not holding them back this time, now that they were facing this enemy together, as one.

Well, so they thought.

“We have to get to the giant blob thing,” Ladybug said, not taking her eyes off the zombies below. “I have a feeling that it’s the brain of the entire zombie horde.”

Chat didn’t answer.

She looked over at him curiously, “Chat?”

His eyes were darker than usual, his eyes focused as he stared down at the horde of zombies. He had pulled out his baton and was gripping it tightly, like he was resisting the urge to punch a wall.

“Chat?” she called, reaching out to him. “What’s wrong?”

He was silent for a moment.

Then—

“Go.”

Never before has one-word terrified Ladybug as much as that one did.

“There’s no way we can both make it to the blob without these guys on our tail,” he said, his voice coming out strategic, a battle plan forming in his mind. “To take out that thing will take only one blow, and one person,” he looked at her then, his eyes softening a bit. “You.”

She was already shaking her head, “No.”

“I’ll keep them busy,” he said, gesturing at the snarling zombies. “I’ll attract all their attention to me so that you can get to the blob and purify the akuma.”

“Chat,” she warned, her voice shaking. “No.”

“Ladybug,” he said, turning his body towards her. “It’s the best plan, and the only way.”

“I am _not_ leaving you behind!” she shouted, pointing at him. “We are doing this together or not at all!”

“We don’t have a choice!” he shouted back, stepping closer to her, his eyes full of pain. “We can do this, My Lady, you’ve got to trust me.”

“No!” she shouted; her voice fierce. “The last time I trusted you alone you got hurt! And I’m not taking that chance ever again!”

He reached out to her, taking her hand, his eyes soft. “My Lady—”

“Don’t _‘My Lady’_ me,” she said, trying to pull free from him but he kept taking her hands. “We are not doing this.”

“We have to.”

“Chat Noir, I swear to God,” she said, pointing at him as new tears started streaming down her face. “Don’t you _dare_ do this to me again—”

She was cut off by him grabbing her face and pressing his lips to hers again, the contact making her gasp and lose all feeling and memory of what they were arguing about. The kiss was gentle and full of pain and sorrow and caring; she never knew this many emotions could be held in a single kiss.

He pulled away enough to look into her eyes.

“My Lady, I love you,” he said, his voice sincere.

The words ricocheted around her body, making everything but her heart go numb, both smiling and screaming as she realized this was the first time that he’s _really_ said it, without a wall between them.

“And by God, if this is my last battle,” he said, leaning forward and kissing her between her eyebrows, her leaning into his touch. His lips were touching her forehead as he spoke, making her shiver against him.

“Know that those will be my last words.”

He stepped back, his fingertips tracing her cheeks and then under her chin as he stepped further back from her, his fingers still touching her even until the last moment.

He gave her one last confident smile, winked at her, then jumped over the edge of the building, screaming bloody murder as he charged the zombies.

Ladybug was both heartbroken and longing for him, smiling and crying because she just heard the most profound confession ever in the most absurd of places.

She didn’t even look over the edge to see his progress with the zombies.

She just turned, saw the giant orange blob in the distance.

And ran.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, yes, i know the zombie/giant blob thing is weird but hey, the next chapter is pretty good.
> 
> And look at that! They kissed and Chat finally confessed to her, knowing her name and everything. 
> 
> those two... agh cuties.


	27. Embrace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ladybug fights the akuma alone, Chat Noir deals with an army alone, and they somehow have to find their way back to each other.

Chapter 27: Embrace

Ladybug didn’t realize she was crying until she stopped to take a breather. She noticed how her face seemed oddly sweaty even for her alter ego, and when she went to wipe away the sweat, she realized that her eyes were watering and producing tears. She guessed she was too in shock to remember to keep herself together; one, the world is under attack by what could be the most dangerous akuma they’re ever faced, and two, so many things happened in under five minutes that had her heart stumbling in all different meanings of the word.

One of those things being the fact that, Chat Noir (Adrien Agreste, otherwise known as the love of her life) just kissed her in the heat of the moment then told her he loved her.

She covered her mouth with the palm of her hand as her eyes widened, the words finally just now settling in. Her stomach suddenly felt nauseous, and her heart dropped in her chest out of fear for what those words were going to do for her in the future.

Were they going to give her everlasting happiness? Or were they going to haunt her forever, just like his ghost?

Ladybug felt the need to throw up, but she looked back up at the blob monster that covered an entire skyscraper, the humming continuing throughout the streets of Paris. It felt like an earthquake was starting to erupt from the earth’s plates, making her nervous about the other Parisians that could end up stuck in a collapsed building, or crushed by the ceiling of their homes.

She gripped her fists harder and gritted her teeth, an overwhelming protectiveness over her city crashing into her. This was the place she lived, went to school with, where all her friends and family lived. She wasn’t going to let someone as evil as Hawkmoth take all that away from her. Not when she had the power to stop all this.

She took out her yo-yo and threw it forward, catching onto a streetlamp then jumping off the building rooftop. She sped through the streets at top speed, trying to get there as fast as possible. Every minute that blob was alive, was another minute Parisians were being turned or hurt, including Chat Noir.

As she got closer, she noticed that the blob’s “skin” was clearer than she thought. She could see right through it, and inside was not a pleasant sight. Inside was a normal set of organs that a human would have, except they were enlarged and a lot more gross than Ladybug previously thought. There was a spine behind all the organs, which must’ve been holding them together somehow besides the giant blob.

What really stood out to her was the giant brain. It was near the top surface of the blob, and it looked more metallic than like a human organ. Despite its metallic look, it took the perfect form of a brain, and certain parts of it were vibrating and pulsing, like it was thinking. At one point, she watched the whole thing pulse hard, and a blueish white light when from the stem of the brain, down the spin and to the very bottom of the blob, where several zombies exited from.

The giant blob was birthing little zombies.

Ladybug cringed, “That is disgusting.”

She suddenly felt the humming intensify, when a voice that sounded like it was coming from everywhere spoke almost like it was inside her mind.

 _Give up your miraculous, Ladybug,_ the voice said, which she suspected was the blob’s voice. _I hate being out of control._

“You call this control?!” she shouted at it, gesturing at the city’s destruction. “You’re causing more chaos than control! Give up now before this hurts anyone else!”

The giant blob seemed to chuckle, a low and deep rumble that ran chills up her spine. _Don’t you see?_ It said, making Ladybug grit her teeth in frustration. _I think I like my new position as the Control Freak._

The zombies that had just exited the blob suddenly screamed like they were in agony, bringing her attention from the blob and to the approaching enemies. Ladybug readied her yo-yo and sneered at them as they came closer.

She swung her yo-yo at the first one, then yanked it to the side before using the momentum to slam into the other two zombies next to him. She then retracted her yo-yo so she could block a swinging, floppy arm of one zombie. She then ducked under that one, punched another one in the face, then used her leg to kick the zombie she dodged. All five zombies crumpled to the ground.

“Is that the best you can do?!” she shouted.

The blob chuckled, making the windows of the shops rattle next to her. Then, another pulse went from the brain then down to the bottom, then another and another. About twenty zombies emerged from the blob’s outer layer, all making moaning noises and twitching erratically. She went to back up as her uneasiness increased, when she heard a few crunching noises from behind her. She turned to the side and saw the five zombies she previously knocked down standing up and giving her delighted, disgusting grins.

“Sorry I asked,” she said, taking out her yo-yo again.

The first zombie attacked by swinging its arm at her as she ducked under it. One grabbed her from behind and held his arms around her neck, surprising her and momentarily shocking her. She elbowed the zombie in the face as soon as she could before diving forward and landing in a kneeled position. She used her yo-yo to trip several zombies before throwing it upwards, where it wrapped around a streetlight. She yanked it hard and shot in the air just before the other twenty-something zombies zeroed in on her.

She went upwards before falling into an arc towards the ground. She twisted her body just right to land on the ground, facing away from the blob before rolling backwards so she didn’t break her legs. She stood up quickly and realized the zombies were smarter than she realized. They were already growling and starting to run towards her.

She looked around her, looking for a possible escape. She could always go back the way she came, flying over them, but she would have to eventually do that again if she wanted to figure out how to destroy the giant blob, or Control Freak.

She suddenly had a very bad idea.

She looked back at the blob and squinted her eyes to try and see past all the goo. She hesitantly reached out to touch it, and found it surprisingly squishy and slimy, like jello.

She looked back at the enclosing zombies, running, limping and growling at full speed towards her, their mouths hanging open as drool poured out. Their yellow teeth looked sickening, and even if they weren’t zombies, she was one hundred percent sure she would get some kind of infection if they somehow bit her.

She looked back at the blob; it’s humming now sounding more like a heartbeat that pulsated all through Paris. No doubt this would be disgusting, not to mention scarring for life.

She looked between the two, weighing her options.

“Screw it,” she said, before turning towards the blob, sucking a deep breath in, then plunging into the jello like monster.

The feeling was indescribably disgusting. Imagine trying to swim through a pool full of jello that smelled more like blood and organs in a dissecting lab room rather than fruity orange. She just closed her eyes and surged forward, surprised that jello was so hard to push through, but she guessed it wasn’t just jello, but a giant form of one that held enlarged human organs.

When she broke the surface of the jello, she was surprised to find breathable, yet vomit worthy air quality. Despite her overwhelmed senses, she took a deep breath in, and nearly vomited from it.

She rose her gaze upwards, and found the strangest sight she’s ever seen, and considering she’s Ladybug, that’s saying something.

In the center of the giant blob, where the building should’ve been, was a tall container looking thing that looked like glass that had orange liquid bubbling on the inside of it. It hung about ten feet above the ground, which was also orange, and it hung at the very top of the blob, which she couldn’t quite see. Inside the giant container of liquid were all the organs she saw earlier, floating around in the bubbling water and occasionally pulsing. All around her, the sun filtered through the orange walls creating almost beautiful kaleidoscopes when she looked around.

What was really weird was the giant spine that was attached to the wall opposite of her, like it was placed against the wall and the jello happened to grow around it, holding it in place. The bottom of it touched the ground, and on either side of the spine were a few arched openings in the jello that didn’t lead to outside, but rather deeper into the skin.

_Ladybug._

She froze, looking around her for the voice, but then realized quickly that this thing had no mouth, no voice, just a loud humming in your head that would drive lesser men insane.

She was surprised she was still sane. Well, mostly.

 _I see you’ve come to take my trophy,_ it purred, its voice sending a chill down her spine. _Its really unfortunate that you won’t ever find it._

“I wouldn’t act so confident,” she said, deciding to be defiant before she’s inevitably attacked. “We both know how good I am at my job.”

The voice laughed. _And you think I am confident?_ It laughed some more, making Ladybug grip her yo-yo tighter. _You know Hawkmoth believes I am his best creation? Because I like to be in control, and since my employees were never listening to me, always living their free lives rather than working, I became the best version of myself._

“A control freak?” Ladybug mocked, raising an eyebrow.

The voice seemed to sneer. _Don’t get cocky, girl. You should know what I am talking about. Always having to be in control of each and every akuma situation, trying to control the citizens who are_ always _all over you. And what about your free-spirited partner? How is it controlling him?_

Ladybug’s eyes went dark, “I don’t.”

The voice chuckled darkly. _Exactly my point. You and I have a lot in common, surprisingly._

“I am nothing like you!” she shouted, pointing accusingly up at the organs floating in the liquid. “You want to hurt people!” She stopped, realizing she was putting the blame on this _victim._ It wasn’t their fault that they have been turned to this, it wasn’t their fault Hawkmoth took advantage of them.

She took a deep breath and calmed herself before speaking again. “I understand you are hurting, but is it really worth it hurting all of Paris?”

The voice was silent for a minute, before they sighed. _I think it is._

Ladybug hardened again, but this time it was justified. “Don’t worry, whoever you are,” she said, readying her yo-yo. “I’ll get you back to normal.”

She suddenly threw her yo-yo up, calling upon her lucky charm. She caught a weird looking box sized thing that had three sticks wrapped together that was kind of small, but it was very heavy when she caught it. There was a cord plugged in on the outside that was attacked to a little remote that had a green and red button. She studied it for a moment, before she found a sticker in the top right corner that said: DANGER. RED BUTTON STARTS TIMER. GREEN BUTTON DETENATES ON COMMAND.

She nearly dropped it when she realized what it was. It was dynamite. She was holding a stick of dynamite.

She looked back up at the container full of liquid and organs, looking for an idea when the outer skin suddenly highlighted, then a trail up to the top, where the brain was, then the brain highlighted. She looked down at the stick of dynamite and felt immediate dread as she realized what the lucky charm was asking her to do.

She didn’t have much time to think about it since the humming all around her suddenly intensified, then a pulse ricocheted throughout the entire blob. Right after it, a pulse of light came shooting down the spine, hitting the bottom and making the jello jiggle a little bit. That’s when the arched doorways suddenly filled with a bunch of zombies, snarling and growling at her.

She looked up at the container and back at the zombies, who quickly realized she was the enemy as they charged forward.

“I’m going to regret this,” she said, holding the dynamite in one hand and throwing her yo-yo with the other. The yo-yo impaled through the jello outer skin and she was suddenly yanked forward, over the growling zombies, and she went headfirst through the skin.

It wasn’t long before she was floating in the liquid, which was warm and thick, and burned her eyes, but she was forced to open them since she had to see where she was going. She looked upwards and saw the blurry organs above her and began swimming upwards.

Being in the liquid made her want to vomit and die at the same time, dreading the idea of maybe drowning with the stuff in her lungs. She continued swimming upwards, hearing the frustrating hums of the blob monster as she swam upwards. Obviously, they weren’t expecting her to be _that_ dumb.

This might’ve been dumb, she realized. For all she knew this thing could be burning through her suit, or worse. She could die easily from drowning, but luckily since she was a superhero, all her abilities were enhanced, which means she could hold her breath for a longer period of time.

But it’s not forever.

Man, what she would give to be in her aquatic suit at the moment.

She immediately tossed out the idea, since it involved her breathing in this stuff.

 _You’re very bold for how unconfident you are._ The voice suddenly appeared in her mind again, and she fought to keep swimming, kicking and pushing harder. _Hawkmoth and all his akumas know that you are an insecure little girl under that mask, too afraid to do any of this without her partner. Well, what if I told you one day, he’s going to kill him, and make you watch._

Ladybug screamed inside her head, forcing herself to focus on the task; she can’t have Hawkmoth or his creations getting inside her head. This was life or death.

She reached the top of the spine, ignoring the voice that continued to speak to try and unbalance her. She caught a few words that stood out, like _kill, plan,_ and _Chat Noir._

She still continued to focus, and she changed direction, swimming horizontally rather than vertical, catching the brain insight. She stopped right in front of it, watching as it pulsated and passed thoughts and commands for the zombies. She understood now that she was looking at it, that this was a giant brain for all the rest of the zombies, a command center. It created new spawns and commanded them to do the akuma’s dirty work. Control Freak was literally in complete control over everyone, including her family and friends, which is why she needs to stop him.

She could feel her lungs starting to tighten, and it was a good reminder to get to work. She figured the akuma must be inside the brain, which is why she has dynamite. It also still looked metallic, despite its squishy looking form and its pulsating. The akuma inside should end up burning up as well from the explosion. She hated the idea of killing a butterfly, but since her city and loved ones were in the way of Hawkmoth’s plans, she had to make a few sacrifices.

As Ladybug swam around it, looking for the spot that looked like it was pulsating the most, the voice seemed to finally realize that she was up to something.

_What are you doing near my brain you bug?_

She couldn’t really respond, but she continued to look around the brain, finally settling on the frontal part of the brain. She reached out and placed the dynamite stick there, clipping it to a metallic chink in its armor and she inspected it for a moment. She detached the remote before syncing it up with the dynamite, before setting a timer for three minutes, then starting it by pressing the red button.

That’s when she turned tail and swam for the bottom again.

_You are not getting away from me that easily._

Suddenly, several tentacles wrapped around her waist, arms, legs and then pulled her towards the other organs, near its heart and lungs.

_I knew you were up to something, I just had to wait for the right time._

She struggled in the monster’s hold, trying to get out. She estimated she had about two-minutes left now, and she could feel her lungs starting to burst, needing fresh air, and needing to get out. Her eyes burned from the long exposure to this, what she assumed was body liquid, and she could feel it burning her exposed skin as well, like it was acid.

 _Now I’ve got you,_ said the voice. _And this time I won’t be the failures the akumas were in the past. I will take your miraculous, deliver it from Hawkmoth, then rule the world with my zombie followers._

Ladybug continued to struggle, her body begging for air and her skin needing some kind of relief. She fought with all her might, but no matter how hard she fought, it still wasn’t enough.

Then she remembered the remote in her hand, and the green button. She looked back up at the brain, and saw the dynamite still blinking, so she still had time. The dynamite stick was about fifteen to twenty feet above her, so she wasn’t in the blast zone… technically. The clock was still ticking, she still had time to try and escape, avoid a possible fatal blow.

But this plan didn’t need time. Just a push of a button. She could end all of it, just like that.

She made her decision. She steeled herself, gripping the remote harder like she could accidentally lose it in the liquid, before she moved her thumb upwards, hovering over the green button. She hesitated, reminding herself that this could hurt her, that she could possible kill herself by doing this. But there was also the fact where it seemed impossible to escape, all those innocent people getting attacked and turned into zombies.

Also… _Chat Noir._

Ladybug squeezed her eyes shut, getting ready for the blow, feeling herself starting to shake. When she felt she couldn’t spend another second holding her breath, she opened her air way, feeling the acid like liquid going down her throat and into her lungs and stomach, burning into her.

She would’ve cried out if it wasn’t for the liquid chocking and burning her, and on instinct, she pressed down on the green button.

She didn’t much hear the explosion rather than felt it, like a huge rumbling earthquake had attacked the inside of the akuma. She thought she heard the akuma scream, but she couldn’t tell. All she remembered was her world faded just as something large and heavy, came crashing down on her.

Everything went black.

. . .

Chat Noir had broken is staff into two long before zombie number two-hundred and sixty-five. He figured, in case he needed to throw one away for some kind emergency, he should have that availability. For example, he was knocking a few zombies off their feet when he saw a couple getting attacked by a single zombie. He threw the other half of his baton and impaled the zombie through the head, and it crumpled to the ground, while still being able to battle the twenty others that were currently attacking him.

He figured that this wasn’t so bad, considering he was still bite free, but completely covered in zombie guts, or rather, rotting human flesh. He had nearly died right there when the first-time zombie vomited on him when he was knocked to the ground, the zombie biting onto his staff instead of his face. Chat had tried to punch the rotting alive corpse off his body by punching it in the stomach. Unfortunately, that resulted in the zombie vomiting whatever victim he ate previously all over Chat. Once he got the corpse off him, he killed it by stabbing it in the chest with his staff.

He had to hide just to puke his own guts out for a few minutes.

After that, he found out zombies tend to puke regularly, and they continued to do all over him at times, which wasn’t ideal and was certainly not going to flatter anybody. He could barely tolerate the smell that he could practically taste it coming off his suit.

He was in the center of a street he couldn’t remember the name of, fighting off the last bit of zombies in that area. He knocked down a few with his baton, before stabbing another one in its brain. He turned to face that last one, who was oddly bigger than the rest of them, and he readied himself as the zombie approached him, snarling.

“Just as well,” he said, raising his baton. “This was getting too easy.”

The zombie suddenly roared and charged him; his rotting skin more pungent than the others he’s faced. He jumped to the side and watched as the zombie nearly ran into a wall, but quickly turned around and charged after Chat.

Chat used his baton to extend above the big boy, twisting in midair and landing perfectly on the zombie’s shoulders. The rotting corpse roared in outrage and Chat clung to the guy’s head as a measure to try and stay on. He suddenly grabbed the sides of the zombie’s face and yanked hard backwards, making the zombie snarl, but they leaned back, and zombie stumbled.

He suddenly jumped off the guy’s shoulders and landed in front of him, just as the zombie regained its balance. It then charged again; pure rage written all over its face as Chat pushed his baton in front of him. The zombie grabbed hold of the baton as well, and even though Chat was a pretty strong superhero with super strength, the zombie overpowered him and pushed him backwards. His feet skidded on the ground until he hit the wall, his back slamming against it and knocking the air out of him.

He still pushed against the snarling zombie, recognizing if his face got too close, he could get bitten. He grunted as he pushed harder, his eyes growing darker as he pushed against the zombie, who was grinning sickly.

Chat suddenly broke his staff in two again, making one of the zombie’s hand slam against the wall next to him. He then used the same part to stab into the zombie’s head, making the zombie cry out in anger. He used one foot to push the unbalanced zombie away, before readying his other part of his staff, and charging. He leapt upwards and came down on the very surprised zombie, before stabbing the other part of his staff all the way through his chest.

The zombie staggered backwards, before falling on its butt, then collapsing on its back, unmoving.

Chat panted, staring at it for a second before raising his head to look around the area, to see if anymore zombies were coming for him. When the street he was on seemed still, even though he could still hear monstrous growls across the city with his super hearing, he realized he was safe for now.

He collapsed to the ground in exhaustion, falling to his knees and rolling his head back, his face to the sky as he tried to slow his breathing. His heart pounded in his chest from the adrenaline rush, and his entire body ached from the army of zombies he had to face. He was almost a hundred percent sure he took down four to five hundred zombies by himself—and that wasn’t his ego talking.

He groaned as he forced himself to his feet again, wiping the gunk, guts and puke off his suit as best he could. He then picked up his staff, also stained with blood and guts and looked around, his senses still on high alert. Whatever zombies that would eventually find him were at least a couple blocks away; he deserved a breather.

He spotted a fountain across an intersection that lead to some kind of garden that was still running and looked about the cleanest place he’s seen around.

He walked to it, being careful to keep his alarms and Spidey—feline?—senses ready in case a zombie decided to sneak up on him. For being brainless bastards that wanted to puke and poke at his insides, they seemed pretty smart.

He stepped into the fountain and first cleaned off his staff, surprised how easy it was to get the blood and gunk off it. It was harder to get the gunk and puss off his suit, since it had dried off in the hot sun. He had to scrub it off hard, but he eventually got most of it off. Soon, after he washed his face and hair as well, considering there was zombie guts in his hair, he was cleaner than a cat in a bathtub.

He picked up his staff again and placed it behind his back, stepping out of the fountain and feeling like a new man. An exhausted, black cat new man that had fought an entire army of zombies single-handedly and felt like he could use a long, hot shower.

He sighed at just the thought, wishing he didn’t have to be here right now. Preferably, he would want to hang out with Marinette in the park some more and maybe even take her home to meet his dad. He just wanted to be around her, and make her laugh, he wanted—

His heart dropped when he remembered. He was so focused on fighting every single zombie he completely forgot all about how she ran off without him. How she ran headfirst into danger while he kept the zombies busy, going after the giant blob without him.

He pulled out his staff to call her when he heard a low growl and jerked his head up. He noticed maybe five or six zombies had entered the intersection, snarling and drooling as they approached him. Chat readied his baton, glaring heavily at them.

He was about to attack them when the explosion happened.

It surprised him so much he immediately dropped his guard and turned in the direction of the explosion, searching for any signs of what could’ve caused it.

His heart stopped when he looked in the distance and watched as the giant orange blob started crumbling in on itself. There was smoke coming from the top of it as it fell in on itself and creating a loud rumbling that ricocheted across the city. Even from where he stood, he could feel when it hit the ground, like a thousand pounds of slime slamming on the cement, but louder.

His blood ran cold, “Ladybug!”

He turned to face the zombies approaching him when he realized they had all crumbled to the ground, their faces contorted and still leaking fluids.

He put his baton behind him and ran from them, not giving it much thought. His mind was racing, and his heart was pounding out of fear. He was scared, he knew, one hundred percent that she had something to do it, and the idea that she might’ve been close to the explosion terrified him.

He ran at top speed, jumping over alleyways then to buildings and vaulting over chimneys. Not even his own exhaustion was going to stop him, for the fear that she could be hurt or worse replaced his tired state with a heart wrenching fear of losing her.

When he got to the scene, he was horrified. The giant blob of orange whatever had melted into liquid, leaving giant representations of human organs all piled up in the center where he suspected a building used to be. Dozens of zombies lay in the streets, sprawled out in awkward angles as whatever humans left came out of their hiding places to look at the scene. Quite a few were looking at the pile of organs, contorting their faces in the smell and pointing at it, worried looks on their faces.

Chat jumped down from the building he was on and ran up to them, grabbing one man’s arm and looking him dead in the eye.

“What happened?” he asked, his tone earnest.

The man didn’t look surprised to see him, and he pointed at the pile of organs, his voice shaking in fear.

“We—we saw her go in there and—and then the bomb went off—she was still inside when it collapsed and—”

“Who?” Chat asked, already knowing the answer.

The man grew an anxious look in his eyes. “Ladybug.”

Chat turned to the pile of organs and his insides melted, in a bad way. He wasted no time and rushed forward, not caring that he was splashing through most likely zombie mucus and bodily fluids. All he cared about, was getting her out of there.

He reached the giant pile of organs and stopped, looking at them. There was no way he could pull this thing off, it was definitely too large and too heavy.

Then he remembered.

After using his cataclysm earlier, he had recharged Plagg when he ran out of time. He still had his power!

“Cataclysm!” he said, before pressing his toxic hand to the slimy intestines. The organs easily melted and crumbled to dust, making his job so much easier, because soon enough, he spotted a hand that was hers.

He grabbed hold of her hand and probably nearly ripped out her arm for pulling hard. She would not budge at first, but as the organs slowly disintegrated and created less weight on her, he was able to pull her out soon enough. He collapsed on his butt after pulling so hard, and finally, the organs gave way and she slipped out, covered in slime and her face ashen grey.

He quickly gathered her up in his arms and raced her to where there was dry ground, setting her down on the ground and checking if she was breathing.

She wasn’t.

He could tell all the citizens were watching as he proceeded to do CPR, pressing on her chest and watching as her body lurched as he did so. He stopped after thirty chest compressions and bent down, wiping all the slime around her mouth before plugging her nose and lifting her chin. He completely covered her lips and pushed two breaths into her body, her chest rising and falling as he did so. After that, he continued chest compressions.

“C’mon, Ladybug,” he said, panting, scared out of his mind that she hasn’t woken up yet. “Please, wake up!”

He bent down to give her two breaths again, but that was when she chocked and a whole bunch of white slime spilled from her lips. She struggled to push it out and Chat helped roll her over on her stomach as she got on her hands and knees, retching. She coughed and retched, spilling vomit and what looked like blood from her lips as she struggled to breath.

There were several relieved sighs from the bystanders, before they slowly started clapping for them. Chat couldn’t care less about the attention as he watched his lady slowly start to calm down. She still was spitting up some chunks of who knows what, but she was gasping and groaning and _alive._

He reached out and rubbed her back affectionately once she was done retching, scooting closer to her and wrapping an arm around her shoulders. She met his eyes and found they held a lot of pain and exhaustion, and he sympathized with her.

“You okay?” he asked, rubbing his thumb against her shoulder.

She didn’t speak, but she nodded.

She sat back and brought up her hand, where she was holding a remote looking thing with two large buttons on it, one red, one green. He hadn’t noticed it before, but he guessed he was more focused on saving her than he was with what she was holding.

She looked back over at him, “Help me stand?”

Her voice came out cracked and hoarse, like it had been burned or used too much.

He nodded and grabbed her waist with both hands, lifting most of her weight before setting her on her feet. She started to tilt to the side and Chat quickly grabbed her before resting her against him, so that she could lean on him and not depend on her wavering strength. 

“Sorry,” she said, letting herself relax against him. 

He shook his head, “Don’t be.”

She looked down at the remote she still had before reeling back and throwing as hard as she could into the air. “Miraculous Ladybug!” she called, which honestly sounded like a dying horse.

The magical ladybugs flew around Paris and cleaned up the place, clearing away the zombies and replacing them with the Parisian citizens. They soon cleared away the giant organs, leaving behind an old man with an expensive suit on looking around in confusion and a building right behind him which must’ve been his.

The ladybugs visited them last, circling the two superheroes in an embrace together as they worked their magic. In a matter of seconds, his strength returned, and his aching muscles vanished, replaced by his normal feeling body, which was honestly a relief.

Ladybug however, almost collapsed if it wasn’t for him holding her up. She slumped against him and groaned, making Chat lift her up bridal style, looking down at her in concern.

“I’m just…” she said, her eyes closed as her words slurred. “So… tired…”

He smiled down at her, finding it utterly adorable. “No problem, My Lady, I’ve got you.”

He was jumping over the rooftops when she asked him to stop and set her down. When he did, he held her waist to keep her steady in front of him, while she held onto his arms, shaking her head like she was in a daze.

“You okay?” he asked, studying her.

“Yeah,” she said, her voice tired. “Yeah… just all the jumping is making me dizzy.”

He nodded, “I understand.”

Both of their miraculouses went off suddenly, Ladybug having about one minute before she transformed back.

“You only have a minute,” he said, beginning to pick her up again.

“Wait.”

He stopped, looking at her curiously.

She looked up at him, her eyes a little misty and her eyes filled with too many emotions to count. He waited for her to speak, but she seemed to be hesitating.

“My Lady,” he prodded, touching her arm. “I hate to pressure you, but you only have about thirty seconds.”

She nodded, “Right,” then, she grabbed his arm and backed up, pulling him into a little building on top of the roof which most likely lead to stairs. When they stepped inside, a little light above them went on most likely because of a motion sensor. They crouched inside and looked down the stairs, where darkness only was visible.

“We should head down there once we transform back,” Chat said, starting to look back at her. “If anybody asks, we can just say—”

He was cut off when Ladybug crashed into him, making him stumble backwards and land on the wall behind him. Since he was crouching, it didn’t hurt that bad, but at the same time it was very unexpected. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him close, burying her face into the crook of his neck.

“Don’t you ever scare me like that again,” she said, her voice muffled. “I couldn’t stand it if you—”

She was cut off this time by Chat wrapping his arms around her, shushing her gently as her transformation dropped and the small space was filled with pink light. Marinette was now the one hugging him, and he only snuggled closer as his nose grazed the skin of her neck.

“It’s okay, My Lady,” he said, rubbing her back as she began shaking in his arms. “I’m here.” He paused for a long moment before speaking again, “You can’t scare me like that either, okay?” he said, feeling his eyes watering. “No matter how hurt you are, how injured you may be… you always have to come back to me, okay?”

She was slow to answer, like she was considering his promise, contemplating his words. He waited for her to answer for a long time, listening to her raspy breathing like she was going to fall asleep.

“Okay,” she finally said, before snuggling closer to him, holding him tightly. “Okay, I promise.”

He nodded and pulled her closer, until she was forced to crawl into his lap. She didn’t seem to mind, maybe she wanted to be in his embrace as much as he wanted her to be in his. He cradled her in his arms while she sat in his lap, sighing in contentment as he held her close.

They stayed like that for a long time, huddled in each other’s embrace, and unaffected even when they dropped their masks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys enjoyed! I will upload the next chapter tomorrow! 
> 
> Insta: @being_happy_official


	28. Confession

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Confession tiiiimmmmeee

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is so cute and i love it <3 enjoy!

Chapter 28: Confession

It didn’t take long for the two mask-less heroes to reach the Agreste mansion, the weather suddenly turning stormy as the sky darkened above them. They could hear thunder from a distance, and rain was already starting to sprinkle on top of their heads, sending shivers down their spine.

Adrien didn’t let go of Marinette’s hand, even as he punched in the code to open the gate. He pulled her to the front steps and up to the front door, the rain starting to get heavier as they approached the mansion. He was able to get the front door open without bothering his father and Nathalie, and just put a finger to his lips when his bodyguard opened the door for them.

The Gorilla doesn’t say much, but it seemed like he was turning a blind eye to the whole bringing Marinette with him situation. He just slipped past him and watched as he sat back down at his seat in the corner, not giving the two teens much of his attention. He pulled her up to his room and entered, his windows making the pattering sound as the rain really started coming down, lightning starting to strike.

It baffled him, how earlier today it was pretty warm and nice and now all of a sudden there’s a merciless storm outside. He guessed weather was weird like that, and he pushed it from his mind as he pulled Marinette the rest of the way in his room and closed the door, locking it as well.

Both kwamis of the superheroes jumped out of their hiding spots and zipped to the couch, where they sat down and started talking in hushed voices. He figured the kwamis were giving the two privacy, which he appreciated a lot, especially as he turned his eyes over to Marinette.

She had stepped ahead of him, letting go of his hand and looking around his room like it was a museum. Her clothes and hair were a little wet from the rain, and she had crossed her arms at her chest, her shoulders slumped. She seemed tense, like she was afraid something was going to jump out at her from the darkness of his room. She kept looking back out the window, watching the sheets of rain pound on the windows, listening to the thunder as it rattled the glass.

He knew she didn’t want to be alone, in fact, she made that clear when he offered to walk her home. She refused, saying she’d call her mom and say she was spending the night at Alya’s. He was wary of that, the idea of them being stuck in a room, alone, during a cold stormy afternoon when their emotions were all jumbled. He could recall a few memories why this was a bad idea, but really, when was the last time he rejected his lady when she needed him near.

He understood why, it took everything in him to ask her if she wanted to be dropped off at her home. He didn’t want to be far from her either, especially since just a few minutes before he had resuscitated her. She had been that close to dying, and he barely got there in time before her timer, and her life, ran out. He didn’t even want to think about what could’ve happened if he was even thirty seconds late.

He watched her as she shivered in the darkened room, very aware how the air around them seemed to thicken, creating an awkward moment of silence between them. His fingers twitched at his sides, and he found himself wishing for any kind of conversation to strike up.

“Are we just gonna keep standing here awkwardly or are we going to do something?” Marinette said, turning around and looking at him.

There was something behind her cocky attitude. Just looking at her, he could tell there was something behind her eyes, a curtain, something beyond the cocky tone she had. Maybe it was the atmosphere in the room, the darkening sky, or his lady’s secret turmoil catching his attention, but he knew pretty quickly that something was wrong.

Instead of attacking it, he decided to distract her. He took a step forward, a gentle smile on his face with a slight mischievous grin on his face as he approached her carefully. Bantering. They were always good at bantering.

“Well, what do you wanna do?” he asked her, stopping far enough away so she could breath, but close enough to see the mist in her eyes.

Marinette’s face slightly fell, and she turned towards the window with a look of longing. The rain pounded on the windows, creating a ghostly shadow that danced around the room. Her face was shadowed by the darkness, and the pale lighting coming from outside illuminated her pale face, making her look almost like a ghost. 

Adrien could tell she wanted to be out there, possibly redoing the entire akuma attack, overthinking on what she could’ve done better. He hated when she did that, tormenting herself on things that already happened; especially since they were both relatively unharmed and alive.

She suddenly sucked in a breath and shivered, her teeth chattering as she wrapped her arms tighter around herself.

He knitted his eyebrows in concern, “You okay?”

She glanced at him, “Yeah,” she said, still shivering.

“Are you cold?” he asked, stepping closer until he was crowding her space. He instinctively reached out and touched her hands, only to find them extremely frozen. “Oh my God, you’re freezing,” he said, looking back up at her as she pulled her hands back.

She rubbed her hands together and took a shaky breath, “I’m okay,” she said, shivering again.

Adrien shook his head, “No, c’mere.” He reached out again and took her hands in his, cupping them between his own hands and bringing them up to his face. He blew his warm breath into their clasped hands a few times, before pressing his lips against her hands lovingly.

It was normal for him to be this affectionate with her, loving gestures that reminded him she was real. All he needed to do was touch her, then he knew he would be alright. She wasn’t stopping him either. Despite the fact that they weren’t—technically—together, it didn’t stop them from being “romantically” involved with each other. He guessed he liked their bond a lot, because at this point, it felt a lot deeper than a partnership or friendship.

He guessed that’s why he truly fell in love with her. He felt completely drawn to her, and if that isn’t love, he didn’t know what is.

“You know what always makes me feel better?” he asked, meeting her eyes again and smiling at her.

She tilted her head, “What?”

He smiled wider, “A long, hot shower.”

Marinette started to protest, but he cut her off.

“Hear me out,” he said, feeling eager to help her. “There’s towels, shampoo, soap—everything you need in the cupboards. Take whatever you need, I don’t mind.”

She hesitated, glancing back at the bathroom as she pondered the decision. She finally turned back to him; her eyebrows creased in a disturbed way. “Are you sure?” she asked.

He nodded, “Of course,” he said, gesturing at the bathroom. “Please, use it My Lady.”

She seemed affected by the nickname, as she bit her lip and hesitated again. She only stared at him, making these adorable little puppy eyes that made his cheeks go all red.

Finally, she stood up on her tippy toes, since she’s adorably short, and leaned towards him. She pecked him quickly on the corner of his mouth, making electricity spark between them that had Adrien’s heart racing. If he thought his face was red earlier, he should check again.

“Thank you, Kitty,” she said, touching his arm before turning around and walking to the bathroom. He watched her as she flipped on the light in the bathroom, then proceeded to close the door behind her, but not before giving him one last grateful smile.

Adrien lingered, reaching up and touching the spot where she kissed him, reminiscing in it. He didn’t know why he was so affected by it, she’s done way more than that, _way_ more in fact. He guessed it was the sweetness that was sprinkled on top that made him smile after her, wanting to return the favor.

“Tell me you are _not_ gonna get all mushy now,” Plagg said, flying up to him and catching his attention. “You were doing so good!”

Adrien glared at him, “Shut up, Plagg.”

. . .

“It’s too late for that!”

“What do you mean? It’s never too late for cheese!”

“Plagg—”

“Okay, Sugar Cube, just know you were asking for it.”

The two kwamis squealed loudly as Tikki took off into the air, Plagg following close behind her as he chased her around the room. There was some screeching, some laughing, and a whole lot of noise that Adrien’s pretty sure woke the entire neighborhood. But he didn’t mind, he was laughing along with the two kwamis as he patiently waited for Marinette to come out of the shower.

Plagg eventually caught up with Tikki and tackled her to the couch, both of them laughing hysterically as Plagg had completely abandoned his cheese to chase after Tikki, which is a first.

They were all laughing loudly when a loud thud came from the bathroom, and Adrien looked back at the door, furrowing his eyebrows in concern.

“Did you hear that?” he asked the kwamis, who had fallen silent due to the noise.

“Yeah,” said Tikki, her voice quivered in concern. “I can go check on her if—”

“It’s okay,” Adrien said, getting up. “Pretty sure a bottle fell or something.”

Despite this implication, he walked hurriedly towards the door, before leaning his ear close to it, listening. He could still hear the water running, so she was still in the shower, but he didn’t hear anything else, so he began to worry a little.

He knocked on the door a few times, “Marinette, you okay?”

She didn’t answer, so he figured she couldn’t hear him over the running water. He glanced down at the doorknob, raising his hand towards it before hesitating, debating his options. He bobbed his knee nervously a few times before reaching out and grabbing the doorknob, then sliding the door open. He was immediately hit by a wave of steam and heat as he entered the room, the running water echoing around the bathroom. He closed the door behind him and took a step forward, listening carefully.

That’s when he heard the crying.

His heart dropped in his chest and he had the instinct to run forward, to make sure she was alright. His first instinct was to protect her at all cost, and his second was to make sure she was okay if she was hurt. He hated the idea of his lady being in pain, and all he wanted to do was take that pain away from her.

But he also had the idea she might not appreciate him storming in out of nowhere when she’s in the shower, crying, and naked.

He swallowed down his instincts and carefully walked forward, before stopping around the corner that led to the shower. He listened to her shattered breathing for another minute before finally speaking.

“Marinette?”

The crying turned from a sobbing hiccup to a shocked gasp, and he could tell she was looking around her, trying to search for the owner of the voice.

“Adrien?!”

“Are you alright?” he asked, his tone calm.

“I don’t know, you tell me!” she said, sarcasm evident in her voice.

“I’m not looking,” he said, his voice still steady. “What’s wrong?”

There was a long pause of nothing but the sound of the water pounding on the floor and going down the drain. He could tell she was hesitating, and just knew she was keeping something to herself, but he also knew she wasn’t going to tell him right away. That’s just how she is.

“A bottle fell,” she said, after a long silence. “I’m fine, I just knocked over a bottle and it was very loud.”

Adrien sighed, “Well, I believe that,” he said, turning and leaning against the wall as he continued. “I just don’t believe that’s the whole truth.”

She paused before speaking again, “Adrien—”

“My Lady,” he said, his voice gentle. “I’m just here, okay? I’m not asking for much, just… just tell me what’s wrong so I can help you.”

She was silent again, and he could hear her thoughts running around her mind like they had grown legs and decided to taunt the living hell out of both of them. Because, since he cared about her, her thoughts affected him just as much as they did to her. So, he was going to listen, and listen carefully, so he knew how to help her.

“It’s nothing to worry about,” she finally said, catching his attention that he titled his head in the direction of her voice. “I’m fine, really… but sometimes I just need to destress. And crying helps me do that, especially after a stressful day like today.”

He huffed, “I’ll second that.”

He heard her chuckle over the pounding water of the shower. “I appreciate you, Adrien, but really, I’m fine.”

He smiled, believing her. He can always tell when his lady is lying about her emotional state, and right now, she was telling the truth. She was okay, she just needed to get it out. He understood that; he’s lost count how many times he’s broken down just to get everything out in a moment, so no one has to watch him in another.

Sometimes, when the going gets rough, it’s better to get it out and leave it on the floor, than carry it around with you all day waiting for the timer to run out. Waiting for the bomb to explode in your face until you’re a screaming, crying mess that’s in front of the entire class. Exploding at the wrong moment is the worst thing you could do, since it could backfire and make it even worse. But, exploding in private while no one’s watching, was the best way to handle your emotions, especially when you realize it’s about something pretty dumb later. In the end, you seem mature, and feel better after getting it out in private.

“Okay, I believe you,” he said, smiling as he heard her sigh of relief. “Liking the shower?” he asked, changing the subject.

“This shower is a hundred times better than mine!” she said, her voice echoing around the room. “And I really love my shower!”

He laughed, “Well, I’m glad you’re liking it.” He grinned, “Should I expect you back anytime soon?”

She snorted, “You bet your ass I’m coming back!”

“Well, I’m not complaining.”

They both shared a moment of laughter until it died into the echo of the room, both of them sitting comfortably in the silence they shared. There was nothing awkward about it; it was the silence that followed when two people understand each other, and there was nothing more that Adrien could ask for.

“Adrien?”

“Yes, My Lady?”

“Can I ask you a question?”

“Of course.”

“What you said earlier,” she said, her voice becoming hesitant and almost nervous. “Was it… was it true?”

“You’re going to have to be more specific, Bugaboo,” he teased, hearing her whine and complain about the nickname.

“Earlier,” she said, like it helped. “Before… before we separated.”

He stilled, remembering his words, the intensity of the moment, and how much the words were true.

“I remember.”

She paused for a moment, hesitating. “Did you mean it?”

This time he hesitated, caught between wanting to say the truth and pleasing her. He knew how sensitive she was to the whole “love” conversation between them, and how much she really did value him, he could tell just by how she doesn’t want to lose him. But there was also the part of him, the romantic, that wanted to pour all his heart and soul into a grand love proposal, remind her that she was his everything. That the first thing that he thinks about in the morning is how he can’t wait for patrol that night, or how he was going to flirt with her next, or see if he could catch that secret glance again.

But his lady was a very complicated, simple girl, who only needed a simple answer. And nothing is truer, than a simple and honest answer.

“I did,” he finally responded. Hearing the words leave his lips made his heart to a double back-flip, a nervous tap dance that rattled his stomach and had him fiddling with his ring nervously.

“Oh,” was all she said at first.

His heart fell, and he didn’t respond.

“Adrien?”

He tilted his head in the direction of her voice again, “Yes?”

Pause.

“I love you to.”

The grin that lit up his face could not compare to any star, moon, solar system or sun. Nope, nothing could compare to the way sunshine boy’s heart gleamed and glowed that night, making him feel both radioactive, and ready to explode with the way his heart was filling right now.

“Do you want to do this?” he asked, trying his best to keep his voice steady. “With me?”

There was a long pause between them, but Adrien didn’t have a shadow of a doubt.

“Yes,” she said, and he could hear her smile from where he was standing.

He grinned, “Okay.” He leaned his head back against the wall, feeling his heart racing a million miles per hour. “Just know I fully expect a kiss when you come out, alright?”

Marinette laughed loudly, and he couldn’t help but listen to her deeply. Her laugh resonated with his soul, making it glow a whole lot brighter than his own filling heart that was overflowing with happiness. He would never forget that laugh, not until he was old and grey, not until his memory fades, and not until the final light disappeared from time.

Needless to say, Adrien got his kisses, a goodnight sleep he didn’t know he needed, and his lady sleeping next to him, alive, and breathing.

And that, was all he wanted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PLEASE READ!!  
> Hope you guys enjoyed! The next chapter will be posted tomorrow, and I am slowly getting back into working on Afterglow, plus, i've got a NEW THING I'm already working on for the future after i finish Afterglow. 
> 
> Follow my insta for updates and hints for this SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT in the future! Those who follow my insta will be the first to know! Trust me, you guys will want to know what this thing it ;)   
> insta: @being_happy_official
> 
> Thanks for reading! <3


	29. Against the World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ladybug didn't think saving a civilian would cause so much drama on the internet. Apparently, she was very, very wrong.

Chapter 29: Against the World

Ladybug’s heart pounded in her chest as she rushed forward, a feeling of overwhelming protectiveness crashing into as she increased her speed. She reached the edge of the rooftop and jumped with all her might, using her yo-yo to extend her reach. She held her breath as the yo-yo extended, and finally wrapped around the young man’s middle. She yanked him back and caught him bridal style, his screaming making her ear drums rattle. She flipped forward a few times before landing on the next rooftop top, holding the man close as they came to a stop.

She set the man down and put a hand on his shoulder, meeting his eyes. “You okay, sir?”

The man had a nice hair due and a shocked look on his face, one of both terror and surprise as she waited patiently for his answer. He reached up and placed a hand on his forehead, his eyes suddenly becoming tired and ready to hit the hay.

“Oh my God,” he said, covering his face with both hands and leaning forward. “I almost died.”

Ladybug sympathized, shaking his shoulder a little bit. “You weren’t _that_ close.”

Actually, he did come pretty close. She cringed at the thought and decided to keep that one to herself.

“Sir, you need to calm down,” she said, rubbing his shoulder more in comfort. “I caught you; you’re safe.”

He rubbed the palms of his hands into his eyes, making it look like he hadn’t slept in days. He removed his hands from his face but dropped his eyes to the floor, bringing his knees up to his chest and resting his arms on them.

“What’s your name?” Ladybug tried.

He looked back up at her, “Arthur.”

She nodded, “Arthur, nice to meet you. I’m Ladybug,” she said, holding out her hand for him to shake.

He hesitantly reached out and let his hand slip into hers, his hesitance very apparent in Ladybug’s eyes.

“You’re safe now, Arthur,” she said, gripping his shoulder harder in a more urgent tone. “The akuma can’t get to you now. I won’t let it happen.”

He seemed to consider this, but he again dropped his head into his arms and buried his face into his elbows. He stayed like that for a long moment, and Ladybug looked up nervously to see if the akuma was coming close. Luckily, Chat was keeping it distracted for now since she had to go after the flying civilian, which was the right move since this guy could’ve ended up as a smear on the pavement.

She looked back down at the civilian, becoming impatient despite her sympathy for the young man. “I’m sorry, Arthur, but I really have to go now. Will you be okay getting down?”

Arthur finally lifted his head and met her eyes, and she was surprised to find them filled with admiration. His eyes seemed to sparkle like in an anime movie, and he slowly let a small smile grow on his face. She quickly felt uncomfortable and leaned back a little, almost like she didn’t want to be caught in the line of fire—

The man suddenly threw his arms around her, his actions not directed at hurting her, but hugging her. She froze in the moment, and hesitantly patted his back. She wasn’t used to guys she didn’t know hugging her in an affectionate way. She had kids, parents and even boys around her age hug her after she saved them, but it felt strange to be in the embrace of a man she didn’t know, she assumed was a little older than her (maybe in his mid-twenties), and not be hostile with it.

“Thank you,” he said, his voice a little tight with emotion.

She melted a little bit and patted his back, “You’re welcome.”

He leaned back and gave her a platonic kiss on the cheek, a very formal, and very unromantic French way of saying thank you. She felt a little bothered by it, since the only men that kiss her on the cheek were Chat, her father, and occasionally Nino, one of her closest friends. But she put it from her mind as the used her yo-yo to swing away, waving back at the man before disappearing into the city streets to look for the akuma.

Arthur sighing gratefully as he watched Ladybug swing away, feeling a heavy weight placed in his chest, one which he recognized as longing. It felt similar to the way he felt about Sara in the sixth grade, the girl so easy to fall in love with, and yet so impossible to reach.

His eyes widened and he realized what his head, or rather his heart, was doing to him. First of all, he can’t fall for a superhero! That’s crazy dumb and, second of all, she’s a _superhero._

He sighed helplessly, calming himself with the thought that this was a temporary thing, this was normal. Plenty of people had crushes on Ladybug, even Chat Noir had a crush on Ladybug! This was perfectly fine. He could deal with this, of course, no one could know about it, he would be teased and made fun of, plus, people would freak out if the entire world saw their little exchange. He would never forgive himself if Ladybug was dragged into a whole dramatic take of her dating a civilian.

He snorted, Ladybug dating a civilian, how preposterous. Chat Noir suited her better, especially since he was on the same level as her.

It’s fine! As long as no one finds out or saw their little conversation, he was good, and she was good.

Everything was _fine._

“Dude!”

Arthur whipped around and froze when he saw some blond kid with thick glasses and braces staring at him with a wide-open mouth and a phone in his hand.

“Are you and Ladybug _together?_ ” he asked, his voice border lining soprano levels, like he was excited.

Arthur rushed to explain, “What? No! No. S-See, what happened was… it’s all just—”

“Wait until the fandom gets a load of this!” the blonde said, before pressing a few buttons on his phone, then giving the screen a satisfying look. He shut his phone off and gave Arthur a very excited grin, “Thanks for the footage buddy! Hope you and Ladybug make cute little babies in the future!” 

Arthur watched as the kid disappeared down a skylight, his mouth hanging open in shock as his chest filled with dread. He twisted around and looked in the direction Ladybug had disappeared to, and he shook his head in disbelief.

“I really screwed up.”

. . .

Marinette rubbed her right shoulder, groaning as her aching muscles and tired bones reacted to the pressure. During the akuma attack earlier that day before school started (nice Hawkmoth, get us when we’re sleeping), she had used her yo-yo to wrap around the giant akuma’s arm to try and yank them backwards before they could destroy a building. She ended up underestimated the giant’s strength and ended up flinging forward and slamming into a wall, sliding down about ten feet, then landing on her shoulder wrong.

When she tried to roll it back, she winced and found it aching, but she couldn’t just stand there and nurse her shoulder, she had to get back out there. Now as she tried to ignore it, frustrated on why the little ladybugs didn’t feel “obligated” to heal it, she tried to focus on the road as she rushed to school.

The bell rang just as she entered the classroom, finding Alya waiting in their normal seating arrangement, and Nino sitting in the front row looking at his phone. She looked around the classroom and was curious when she didn’t spot Adrien, but pushed it aside and figured he was still trying to get back.

“What’s up girl?” Alya said, setting down her phone and turning to Marinette.

“Nothing much,” she said, yawning as she set her bag down and sat next to her best friend. “How bout you?”

Alya rolled her eyes like it was something distasteful. “I completely missed the akuma attack this morning.”

“There was an akuma attack?” Marinette said, playing dumb. “When?”

“When we were all asleep,” Alya said, setting her elbow on the desk and resting her chin in her palm, a pouty look appearing on her face. “The video clips I’ve seen of it so far are terrible, but from what I could tell, it was a pretty large akuma.” She sighed as she looked back down at her phone, looking upset despite the sun streaming in through the windows. “I’m gonna look through some more clips during lunch and try and see if I can find something to post on the Ladyblog. I’m still bummed I missed it though.”

“That’s weird,” Marinette said, resting her own tired head in her hand. “It didn’t even wake me up.”

Alya chuckled, somewhat coming back to herself. “Girl, you could sleep through the end of the world and wake up in monster land.”

“Hey!” Marinette protested, slapping her laughing friend in the arm. “My senses happen to be top notch, for the record.”

“Top notch?” Alya lifted an eyebrow. “And why is that?”

“Sorry I’m late!” Adrien suddenly burst through the door, his book bag all bundled up clumsily in his arms, books and papers at the brink of falling out. The strap of his book bag suddenly caught his foot and he yelped as he fell forward and landed face first into the wooden floor.

Marinette raised her eyebrows at the scene while everyone else, except Alya and Nino, laughed at his little mishap. She quickly got up from her spot and walked up to him, just as he was starting to come back down to earth. Or rather, he was already face first into it.

She picked up a few of his papers, “Why are you so late?” she asked, a smile hinting on her lips.

He snorted, “I’m _fine,_ thanks for asking.”

She giggled and helped him pick up his books and papers, stuffing them in his bag. “But really,” she said, giving him a concerned look. “Why are you late?”

He sighed, his eyes becoming tired as he shoved the last book in and gave her a look, “I slept for a few more hours after the attack. I didn’t sleep that much the night before.”

Her eyebrows furrowed in concern as she and him stood up, “Why not?”

Someone behind them cleared their throat and they both turned to see Ms. Bustier giving them a look that said, _I’m waiting_ but also, _I’m sorry about your face._

Adrien met her eyes and gave her a look that said, _we’ll talk later._

They returned to their seats and put thoughts aside as they focused on the lesson, both of them casting secret glances at each other.

“You guys have been dating for over a week now and you’re already giving each other little glances,” Alya whispered when the teacher’s back was turned.

Marinette shushed her friend, “Shut up! He’ll hear you!”

“As if it matters,” Alya said, shaking her friend’s shoulder playfully. “It’s cute!”

“Shhh!” she hissed and looked up front at Adrien, who’s shoulders were shaking from the effort of keeping in his laughter.

Marinette leaned forward and flicked the back of his head, which he flinched away from and turned around, giving her a disbelieving look.

“Did you just slap me?” he asked, his voice an octave higher.

“Flick,” she said, giving him a look. “And stop laughing at me.”

“What’s not there to laugh about?”

She glared at him, “Adrien Agreste, I will—”

“Is there something you would like to share with the class, Adrien and Marinette?”

Both parties turned their gazes back to the front, where Ms. Bustier had her hands on her hips and a raised eyebrow of disapproval.

Both teens gulped.

The day seemed long, especially with that embarrassing endeavor she and Adrien dealt with in first period. But lunch came pretty quickly, and Marinette breathed as she set her food tray right next to Adrien and sat down with Alya and Nino across from her, talking.

“I just don’t get it,” Alya said, a look of disturbed perplexity as she flipped through her phone. “It just doesn’t make any sense.”

“What doesn’t make sense?” Marinette said, picking up her fork and playfully shoving her shoulder into Adrien’s as she began to dig into her salad.

“I mean, they’ve been getting closer, right?” Alya suddenly looked back up Nino, who raised an eyebrow at his girlfriend. “You’ve noticed, right?”

“Who babe?” Nino asked, putting a hand on her shoulder.

She looked at each of them individually, holding her phone between her hands with a concerned look on her face. “Ladybug and Chat Noir.”

Marinette nearly chocked on her salad, Adrien stilling next to her.

“What…” Marinette said, swallowing back a cough. “What do you mean?”

“They’ve been really close the last few months,” she said, setting her phone down as her eyes saddened. “I thought that they were, you know, finally together for the longest time, but…” she sighed, picking up her phone again and scrolling through it for few seconds. Without answering she dropped the phone in front of Marinette and Adrien, who picked it up and looked at it.

It was a video of Ladybug saving a man, the man that was falling earlier this morning. She remembered him, his name was Arthur, and she watched as she comforted the man on the roof. Then she watched as Arthur threw his arms around her, hugging her close, making her cringe as much as she did that morning.

Adrien huffed beside her and she hesitantly looked up at him. Her heart dropped when she saw the disapproving look forming on his face at the video, his body tensing beside her.

It only got worse when Arthur kissed her on the cheek, and Adrien seemed unable to watch any longer. He shut the phone off quickly and tossed it back on the table, before squeezing the bridge of his nose, controlling his breathing.

“Adrien?” Nino called, growing concerned for his best friend. “You okay?”

Adrien didn’t answer, and guilt slowly started building in Marinette’s stomach, her brain working overtime to fix it. She came up with all these different strategies and solutions to this problem, or a way to make it up to him. But as he seemed to turn into a dark, stormy cloud next to her, she froze in her own attempt of making it up to him.

This was her fault.

He carefully got up from his seat and walked away, rubbing a hand down his face, his friends staring after him in concern. Marinette watched him with an agonizing tug in her stomach, knowing he needed his space to cool off, but also hating how much she had to wait until later for them to actually talk about it.

What hurt the most? He didn’t even look back at her as he disappeared from sight.

. . .

Ladybug’s anxiety was peaking, and she tapped her hand against her thigh nervously, trying not to panic. She hated how she reacted like this, that a simple thing (an innocent thing!) could cause her to be in this much distress. But that “simple” thing happened to be that Adrien was mad at her because he thinks that kiss and her affection towards that man were more than it seemed.

It was exactly the opposite! Despite feeling sympathy for Arthur and how respectful he was to her, she felt extremely uncomfortable in that situation. Having a boyfriend you’re actually into really made those situations more awkward than they really are, because maybe if she wasn’t with Adrien at this moment, she would’ve felt more used to it. Her fans always express love and admiration for her after she saves them, which was normal, but being in that situation when Chat was really close by and the fact that she didn’t tell Chat right after the attack just made it worse.

Her anxiety spiked again, and she drew in a fast breath, again trying not to panic. She was nervous on what he was going to say, especially since they have patrol together tonight, or what he might not say at all. What if he just leaves her in the dark and thinks she really betrayed him like that? What if he didn’t want to talk about the situation and just skips right to the end and breaking it off with her? What if he’s so mad at her he does something really stupid? What if—

“Ladybug?”

She flinched and jumped to her feet, bringing out her yo-yo and spinning it. She readied it by widening her stance, ready for the attacker when—

“Whoa! Careful!” Chat said, taking a tentative step backwards, afraid of getting hit. “Ladybug it’s me.”

“Chat,” she said, relaxing a little and letting her yo-yo drop. She reattached it to her waist and glanced downwards at her feet, feeling nervous all over again.

“Ladybug?” he said, taking a few steps forward and searching her face. “Are you crying?”

Maybe she was, she realized, looking back up at him and finding it in herself to meet his eyes. She quickly wiped off her face, forcing herself to stop crying as she sniffed and swallowed, forcing back the tears.

“No,” she said, turning away from him just to add to the fact that she was lying to him. “No, I’m fine, just…” she trailed off, finding it hard to talk with her throat closing off again. Her face contorted and she placed a hand on her face, holding back the sob but her shoulders shook as she fought her emotions.

“I’m fine,” she finally said, turning her gaze out over the city and watching the sun slowly dipping behind the horizon. This would’ve been a lovely evening with her _Chaton,_ if it weren’t for the rumors that were spreading around about her and that civilian.

“Ladybug…” Chat said, his voice gentle. His soothing voice in the warm evening breeze almost made her start crying again, because it was all she wanted to hear, especially since he refused to even look at her since lunch.

She felt his presence near her, and heard his footsteps hit the ground as he approached her from behind. He seemed to hesitate for a moment, before she felt his hand slip into hers, then he tugged on her arm until she was turning. She let him, her body now facing him, but her eyes still turned downwards as he stroked her knuckles carefully with his thumb, making her sway in the breeze.

His free hand reached out and tucked under her chin, lifting her head back up so he could look into her eyes. When she finally did meet her eyes, she froze, and suddenly everything was still and nothing mattered but him, her and this moment they were sharing.

Then, he smiled at her.

“Hey,” was all he said.

She gulped, “Hi.”

His smile widened when he leaned in, catching her by surprise as she sucked in a sudden breath. His lips gently pressed into hers and she immediately relaxed, feeling herself get comfortable under his lips. She reached up with her free hand and placed it on his hip, stepping closer to him and kissing him again. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and kissed her deeper, before smirking into the kiss. He wrapped his other arm around her waist and suddenly threw her off balance, making her yelp as she fell backwards into a dip.

He held her like that for a long time, her sighing against him and kissing him deeper while holding onto his neck and arms. His muscular body easily supporting her weight like it was nothing and she couldn’t help but smile at how gentle he was with her. His thumbs stroking her sides affectionately, his hands holding her like she was something fragile and breakable, but hard enough that she knew he wasn’t going to let her go.

She broke the kiss first and looked at him curiously, “You’re not mad at me?”

He gave her a confused look, “Am I supposed to be mad?”

She rubbed her hand against his shoulder, avoiding his gaze. “I don’t know.”

He paused for a moment before lifting her back up again, setting her comfortably on her feet again. He held her arms gently as he searched for her eyes, but she was making a point to not look at him. He sighed and rubbed up her arms and down again, which she relaxed at and finally met his eyes, which is what he was waiting for.

“This is about the video, right?” he asked, and when she nodded, he nodded back at her, his face falling for a moment. “I didn’t like it, if you’re asking for the truth,” he said, shrugging. His voice sounded bitter like he ate something sour, “But it’s not your fault, first of all.”

She nodded, tossing her bangs to the side with a jerk of her head. “Yeah,” she said, her voice still doubtful. “But… what about earlier? You walked away and didn’t talk to me for the rest of the day. I thought you were mad, I thought that you… that you were going to…”

Chat leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her forehead to calm her racing thoughts. When he leaned back to look at her for a second, she noticed how concerned and gentle he looked in that moment, and she had the need to relax in his arms again, let him take away her anxieties. Because he really did calm her down, when she was angry, sad, or frustrated, he was always able to calm her down. He knew how to touch her carefully when she was sad, he knew to only listen when she was ranting, and he knew when to pick his battles, if she needed him to step in or if he needed to step back. He just _knew_ her and knew how to take care of her, her confused and angry emotions that got jumbled and overreacted sometimes. He was a safe place to put her fears and anxieties in, and he easily tossed them aside like they were nothing, encouraging her to keep going.

He was a safe place, her safe place, and he was just the embodiment of what a kind and gentle person should be. If someone were to ask her what her definition of love and respect was, she’d show them a picture of Chat Noir.

“I wasn’t thinking about anything,” he said, meeting her eyes with a soft look. “Yes, I was angry and maybe a little on edge about where your… loyalties were at.” He looked at her hesitantly and when she closed her mouth in realization and looked down in shame, he rushed on with his explanation. “But then I went home, and I thought about it, processed it, then with a clear head I watched the video again.” He pushed a wayward strand of hair behind her ear and continued. “I saw the uncomfortable look in your eyes, your body language said you felt awkward, and in the end, you were just being a good superhero to a little bit of a hands on person when it comes to thank yous.” He lifted her chin back up when she started to look away and made her meet his eyes. “I don’t blame you, My Lady. I never should have been angry with you. I’m sorry.”

She nearly crumpled in relief right there as she had to pull from his gaze to keep her tear ducts under control. She could really feel the love at the moment, how in the end he tried to understand the situation before he went out and blamed her. He really went and watched that video again, when he obviously hated it, and watched her in the moment and recognized when she got uncomfortable.

She was so scared about losing him to such a silly situation when she should’ve realized he’s as serious about their relationship that he went to the lengths of watching the video again.

He truly is one in a million.

She took a deep breath and focused on not crying. “Thanks Chat,” she said, meeting his eyes again. “You’re right, I shouldn’t have assumed… or anything like that.”

He smiled back at her, “It’s okay,” he said, reaching up and stroking the bangs out of her eyes so he could see her better. “I know I’m right,” he said, meeting her eyes. “But if any other guy tries to kiss you, I expect you to punch them.”

Now that made Ladybug start laughing, Chat watching her as she giggled in his arms. He couldn’t stop smiling with the way she just turned to gold in the sunset, the way she laughed and smiled just for him. This was his doing, he made her laugh, and he couldn’t be more proud or humble about it.

“Okay, Kitty,” she said, stepping out of his embrace, which she hated doing. “We should start patrol now. The city isn’t going to protect itself.”

Chat hummed, following her towards the edge of the building. “I don’t know My Lady; you’re going to have to convince me.”

She gave him a sly smile, “Oh, I most definitely can.” She suddenly was in his space, her face very close to his and he suddenly stopped breathing. “You know I can be very persuasive.”

She could tell he was about to close the distance between them to kiss her when she suddenly pulled away, using her yo-yo to hop off the roof and salute him with two fingers to her forehead.

Chat Noir was in utter shock, and he looked after her and suddenly became very, _very_ competitive.

“You cheated!” He yelled, using his baton to vault after her.

He could hear her melodic laughter all the way from where he was, you know, eating her dust. “I was not! I was simply making you chase after me!” she turned around just to give him a cocky grin, “It worked, right?!”

His gaze darkened slightly, but his attitude was still playful. “Oh, you are so getting it tonight, My Lady!”

She only laughed, and he was forced to run after her. But he didn’t mind that, he would always run after her, no matter what the destination.

. . .

He just didn’t know that destination was going to be, literally, into gun fire.

Ladybug barely made it on the other side of the desk of the large bank they were in before the gunshots ricocheted past her, the loud nose making her curl in on herself. She looked up when Chat suddenly slammed next to her, panting like he had just ran a marathon.

“Jeez, that was close!” he shouted over the gunfire. He looked over at her and grabbed her arm, checking her body for injuries. “Are you good? You hurt?”

“No,” she said, scootching her butt backwards to press her back against the desk fully. “I’m good.” She tried to peek over the desk but found it hard while the bullets where coming at her about five million miles an hour. “Ugh, why does this seem harder than an akuma!” she yelled, frustrated as she ducked back down, thinking.

Chat huffed, “I doubt regular, de-akumatized humans are harder to beat than one of Hawkmoth’s badies.”

“Hush, Chat, I’m trying to think,” she leaned to the side of the desk and carefully peeked around the corner, and watched as the gunmen, four in total, wreaked havoc on the surrounding structure that was the building. She pulled her gaze off them and looked upwards, finding a large French flag that hung down from the ceiling, with a large heavy looking pole that it hung from.

She pulled back and looked at him, her eyes hard, “I need you to run as fast as you can and direct their fire away from me. Make sure you’re out of the way though, don’t be near them when I pull that thing,” she pointed at the flag, “Off the ceiling.”

He got nervous, “What if I can’t direct all of them away from you? What if either of us gets shot?” he asked, his voice filled with concern and maybe a little bit of anxiety.

She felt guilty for putting him in harm’s way, but if she wanted to get both of them out of this situation alive, they had to use drastic measures.

She touched his arm, “Trust me,” she said, locking eyes with him.

He stared at her for a moment, before hardening his eyes and nodding once. He turned from her and peeked around the corner, before jumping up and flailing his arms around in the air.

“Hey freak shows! Over here!” he yelled, before yelping and jumping out of the way. He jumped over desks and dodged bullets, somehow he avoided getting hit. The windows between the customer and the desk person shattered as he ran past them, then he jumped through one of the shattered windows and bounded away from them. He ran until he was on the other side of the men, and they were forced to turn and direct their fire at him as he ran up the wall.

This was the moment when Ladybug stood from her spot and threw her yo-yo upwards, and caught the metal railing the flag was hanging from. Just when she was about to yank it down, something sharp and fast hit her shoulder and she stumbled back, crying out. Her yo-yo slipped from the metal rung and she looked up at one of the gunmen that wasn’t focused on Chat had turned around and pointed his large gun at her.

She quickly dropped to the floor and the bullets shot passed her. She looked back up at the rung and pressed her lips together in determination. She pushed herself to a sitting position and threw her yo-yo, watching in satisfying relief as it wrapped around the rung once more. This time, she pushed her foot up against the desk, that was rooted to the ground, and started to pull.

Underestimating her superhero strength, the rung was ripped from the ceiling easily, and she fell backwards on her back as she heard the flag come crashing down on the gunmen.

She groaned and grabbed her shoulder, the one that had gotten hit by a bullet. She pulled her hand away when she felt something slick and wet and found crimson red blood on her suit. There wasn’t a lot, thankfully, but it did sting like crazy and caused her to lie there for a moment.

“Ladybug!” Chat cried, before his face came into view. He leaned over her and searched her face before placing a delicate hand on her cheek, stroking his thumb on the skin below her mask.

“I’m okay,” she said, trying to control her breathing.

Chat didn’t look convinced and he looked around the office, before spotting a jacket on the ground someone had left behind. He grabbed it and tore a few pieces off it before tying it around her arm, making her grunt as the blood already peeked through the fabric.

“Alright, c’mon,” he said, helping her sit up and stand. He wrapped an arm around her waist and helped her walk out of the desk area and into the main lobby of the bank.

She saw the flag and its heavy fabric had buried the gunmen under it and pined them down along with the huge metal rung. They looked outside and spotted the red and blue lights of police cars showing up, and the flag that held them down long enough gave the police enough time to run and cuff the gunmen.

“I can’t believe you got shot,” Chat grumbled, stepping outside into the early evening hours.

“Grazed,” she corrected, walking with him. “And I’m fine.”

They avoided any police cars and officers and walked away from the scene, trying to spot a proper place to de-transform and look at the wound properly.

“Ladybug! Ladybug!”

Chat and Ladybug turned at the sound of her name and spotted a crowd of maybe twelve to fifteen people approaching them with all different kinds of cameras in their hands.

“Paparazzi,” Chat growled, steering Ladybug away from the crowd, who didn’t object.

But as they rounded the corner, they found a dead end of the street and turned back around to exit, but the group of paparazzi was already there, their cameras already flashing.

Chat instinctively stepped in front of Ladybug, shielding her from the prying cameras and the excited voices of the small crowd.

“Ladybug! Ladybug!” they cried out, excited as they rushed the superheroes personal space. “Is it true you’re dating a civilian? What have you to say on that?”

Ladybug steamed and pushed Chat gently away to face the eager paparazzi, who were quiet and awaited her answer.

“I’m not currently involved with any civilian, and I would appreciate it if that rumor could be buried, please,” she said, her voice solid despite the wound on her arm. “Dating a civilian would be highly unprofessionally of me. I’m just trying to do my job, and the man that I saved the earlier today was just thanking me for saving his life.”

“But he kissed you!” someone shouted. “That doesn’t just mean nothing!”

Ladybug cringed, “We’re _French,_ kissing is a normal way of saying thank you or that you appreciate someone. It doesn’t always have to be about love or romance.”

“But the way you looked at each other!” cried another voice, whom she couldn’t see. “It’s obvious you’re attracted to whoever this mystery man is.”

Ladybug growled, “Did he spread this rumor?”

Someone laughed, “Ha! No, this kid was recording the akuma attack and happened to stumble upon your little romantic scene with that man. You should be more careful about where you spend your ‘quality time.’” The crowd snickered and Ladybug sneered, disgusted.

“Ha! Imagine how they go at it! A strong superheroine and a civilian man, that kid must not stand a chance with her!”

“Oh my God, that is so going in the papers! Imagine the press and the kick everyone will get at when they read how Ms. Ladybug here and her civilian partner just—”

“Stop it!” Ladybug yelled, disgusted. “You—you guys can’t be serious right now! Don’t you understand anything I say? I am not dating a civilian!”

“Stop lying Ladybug!” one of them cried, “It’s not the superhero way!”

Ladybug stepped forward and got in the face of the man that said that. “What do you know about the ‘superhero way’?”

Someone pulled her arm back and she met the eyes of Chat, who was shielding his anger that she knew was there, but he kept a calm face as he locked eyes with her.

“If Hawkmoth thinks I’m dating this man, he could become a target,” she said only to him, her voice shaking from anger. “If people actually believe this crap, he could become a target and that’ll be on me. Plus, my reputation would be ruined. Nobody would trust a hero that was putting a civilian in danger!”

“Hey, hey, calm down,” he said, his voice low enough so she was the only one that could hear him. He placed a hand on her shoulder, helping her relax slightly. “You can’t let these people get to you. It doesn’t matter what they think.”

“Them, maybe not,” she said, glaring at the group of people trying to get her attention. “But the rest of Paris, the kids, the parents, the people that trust me. No one would support me, and then I would be an outcast, and everyone would demand for a new heroine.”

Chat placed both his hands on her shoulders, lowering to her eye level. “I’m not letting that happen, okay? And I’m pretty sure you’re not going to let that happen either.”

She took a deep breath and slowly nodded, before both of them turned back to the crowd, Ladybug more civil than before.

“For the last time,” Ladybug started, keeping her voice level. “I am _not_ dating this man. And that’s final.”

“Oh my God, just tell the truth!” someone came out of nowhere from behind all the lights and shoved her backwards, and the others started closing in pretty quickly as well.

Ladybug became nervous and glanced up at Chat momentarily before looking back at the crowd that was ganging up on them. “Chat, they’re getting pretty—” she stopped when he pulled her closer and she looked up at him curiously. “What are you doing?”

He met her eyes, “Close your eyes.”

She froze, “Chat—”

“Trust me,” he said, already leaning in.

She already did trust him, but in this position, there was no other choice. She focused only on him and his closing distance, blocking out the world as he prodded her head more upwards with his nose, then pressed his lips to hers. The world melted around her, and she was vaguely aware how the voices from the small crowd seemed to become distant.

Chat’s lips pressed against hers lightly, not heated, not warm, just a comforting kiss that was both an anchor for her and enough of a show for the crowd. He reached up to her and cupped the side of her face with one hand, a loving touch that had her leaning into it.

She could tell this was an action he was taking to both get the paparazzi off their cases, and a distraction for her. She was honestly scared and frustrated that these people were suggesting such things with a civilian. But Chat pushed all that from her mind and kissed her deeper, capturing her lips again before pulling back, and giving her a look that was pained and said _I’m sorry._

“Let me get this straight,” Chat said, turning back to the crowd. “Ladybug does not need a man to give her value and therefore, a story in a newspaper to tell. She is not putting anyone in danger, she is not dating any civilian, because that is not what she does.” He looked back at her with guilty look in his eyes. “No man on this earth deserves the woman standing next to me right now.”

She flushed and looked away, embarrassed by such a sentiment.

Chat turned back to the crowd, that was surprisingly silent as he continued. “And finally, Ladybug is not dating any civilian,” he said, his voice becoming suddenly hesitant. “It’s because… because she’s with me.”

The air became dead silent.

Ladybug felt as though she and Chat were standing above a battlefield were all their fallen soldiers were lying face down in the mud. And as the enemy approached, carrying a giant spear and their hatred for them, she felt so small and helpless. These two superheroes, who were stupidly in love, naïve little teenagers, and one of them didn’t even know what was even going on in his own home. They stood their ground in front of a new enemy that would try and slash and tear at their uniforms, trying to uncover all their little secrets and every little detail about them.

She has always claimed that it was them against the world, but she never thought she would actually have to defend herself against the place she was trying so hard to protect.

It was truly, honestly, them against the world.

Chat turned back to Ladybug and reached out to her, wrapping an arm around her waist before bringing out his baton. “Let’s go home,” he said, before extending his baton and vaulting into the starry night, leaving behind a stunned crowd and news that would literally break the internet by morning. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey ya'll! Sorry this wasn't up sooner, i got a little sick this morning and literally slept for four hours after i usually wake up. Feeling better now and I'm glad i was able to get this to ya'll! 
> 
> Thanks for reading! <3  
> insta: @being_happy_official


	30. Rooftop Dates

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little bit of discussion than a nice little make up date <3

Chapter 30: Rooftop Dates

Ladybug noticed the dark droplets dripping from Chat Noir only when her brain started working again. After being completely silenced by Chat’s bold attempt of escaping the paparazzi, her brain went into deep thought and her body went on autopilot. She jumped and vaulted with Chat just ahead of her over the rooftops, her shoulder throbbing but was manageable since it was not a fatal wound. They stayed silent for most of the way as her mind tried to logic her way out of the situation they now found themselves in. No doubt this would be raised to everyone’s attention, and no doubt Hawkmoth would know that they were together, all by morning.

The droplet hit right next to her and she craned her head to look at it as she shot past it, where it fell out of sight. Another one came close behind and she nearly stepped on it, jumping away from it. She looked up at Chat then, when she suddenly saw it.

“Chat! You’re bleeding!” she cried, grabbing his arm and stopping him. He seemed startled as he was lurched backwards, looking down at his arm that she had seized.

He seemed to pick up on her distress and looked down at himself, lifting his other arm to expose a wound that looked a lot bigger than the one on her shoulder. Dark crimson liquid dripped down the side of his suit, and he only stared at it for a moment, seemingly surprised by it to.

“I’m only grazed,” he said nonchalantly before dropping his arm and looking back at her. “Nothing a little cleaning up won’t fix.”

“Were you hit?” she asked, stepping closer and making him turn the other direction so she could see it better.

He watched her a moment before responding back. “I don’t really remember, to be honest,” he said, watching as she inspected her with a soft look. “I’m okay, My Lady.”

She took a deep breath and stepped back, looking at the wound intently like she was trying to will it to heal. She raised her gaze and met his eyes again and found them filled with concern for her.

“You okay?” he asked, before stepping closer and touching her injured arm, taking his turn and inspecting her.

She watched him for a moment, before relaxing despite the pain in her shoulder and the worry in her heart. Chat wasn’t showing any signs like he might fall over, he wasn’t bleeding too much that it couldn’t be fixed with a little home care and a bandage, and he was stroking her knuckles carefully as he looked at her shoulder again.

“Let’s go back to my place,” he said, taking her other hand and pulling her in the direction they were going earlier. “We can bandage and clean up there.”

She didn’t object and followed after him.

When they arrived at the Agreste mansion, Ladybug felt like she was intruding when Chat pushed the ajar window more open as they both jumped down into the window. She hesitantly looked around the room, knowing she’s already been here, but she still felt exposed and awkward.

“Plagg, claws in,” Chat said next to her, and he dropped his transformation. Adrien Agreste replaced where Chat Noir once stood, catching Plagg once he flew out of the ring. He looked over at her, his expression relaxed. “You gonna change back?”

Ladybug held her breath, already feeling herself cringe at the idea of changing back. She didn’t know why she was acting so defensive; she was fine earlier. They’ve known about each other’s identities for a while now, and this shouldn’t bother her anymore than it should be. Which is not at all.

Pushing all obnoxious thoughts aside, she called off her transformation. Marinette held out her hands and caught an exhausted Tikki, who groaned in her tired state. She reached down to her purse and pulled out a spare macaroon and held it up to Tikki, who sat up anxiously and took a bite.

Both kwamis soon had enough energy to fly out of their hands and towards Adrien’s desk, where they sat down and immediately started talking.

Marinette felt a weight fall on her good shoulder and looked up as Adrien started guiding her to the bathroom, dropping his hand to her lower back. They entered the bathroom and walked to the counter, where she leaned her back to it, and he bent down to the cupboards below.

“I have a first aid kit down here,” he said, reaching farther back before bringing out a white box with a red symbol of a plus sign. He set it down on the counter and opened it, revealing the different pieces of gauze, bandages, and antiseptic wipes all piled inside. He pulled out a few supplies before pushing it to the side, then setting the materials down next to Marinette. He then opened a drawer right beside her legs and pulled out a pair of scissors.

“Can I look at your shoulder?” He asked, already moving to her injured left side. She gave him a look and glanced down at his side, where his blood was already soaking into the material of his shirt.

“You’re bleeding a lot,” she said, taking the scissors from him and setting them down. She pushed herself away from the counter and touched the spot just below his injury. “Let’s take care of you first.”

He started to protest but she stopped him by placed a finger to his lips. She didn’t say much else as she gestured for him to take his shirt off. She turned away while he did that to grab the supplies off the counter, taking some gauze, antiseptic wipes and medical tape.

She turned back and couldn’t help but flush from Adrien’s exposed upper half. Ignoring it with a red face was a challenge, but she eventually steeled herself enough to approach him and look at his wound, grimacing at it.

“Was it when I asked you to distract them?” she asked, tearing the packaging of the antiseptic wipes and pulling out the soapy wipe.

Adrien shifted uncomfortably when she started cleaning around his wound, trying her best to avoid the wound all together. But here and there, with her shaking hands and her tired mind, she would occasionally drop too low and graze the cut skin, making him hiss.

“It was right after you got hit,” he said, trying his very best to stay still as he grimaced. “I saw it and freaked out enough to freeze. Luckily for us, they had terrible aim and just managed to hit my side and your shoulder.”

She was quiet in response of this, mostly consumed in her work as she tried her best to clear away the dried blood. The blood flow was slowing down, but there were still some drops that ran down his side. She turned around and grabbed one of the pieces of gauze and pressed it right on his wound, making him wince.

“Sorry,” she said, feeling the guilt being added onto the pile she was already making.

He hissed again before answering. “It’s alright, Mari,” he said, looking down at her. She could feel him studying her carefully, like he was searching for something in her face to break. Whether it would be her emotions or tear ducts, neither of them knew which would come first.

“You know it’s not your fault, right?” he said, watching her reaction.

She pressed her lips together and avoided all eye contact with him, instead she focused on giving up cleaning the dried blood and started pressing a little more gauze to his side. Once the wound was covered, she reached behind her and grabbed the medical tape while still keeping the pressure on his side. She tore off several pieces with her hand and teeth before she taped the gauze onto his side, pressing up against the wound and hopefully the bleeding would stop soon.

“Now you,” he said, pushing her backwards until her butt hit the counter. Figuring she might as well, she hopped up onto the counter and watched as he brought up the scissors again. He gave her an apologetic look, “Can I cut your shirt open? Just the shoulder part. I figured that it would be less painful than taking your shirt off.”

She nodded and watched as he pulled a little bit of the wet fabric away from her skin. Most of the bleeding had stopped, and her wound was significantly smaller than his, but no matter the size because it had basically soaked the entire part of her left shoulder and lower neck.

Adrien snipped the fabric until he reached her collar, once he cut all the way through her collar, he put down the scissors and carefully peeled back the fabric on her shoulder, revealing the wound.

She hissed painfully when he did, since the fabric had stuck to the edge of her wound and grazed along her ruined skin.

“Sorry,” Adrien said, his face bending in as much pain as she was in.

She shook her head, “It’s alright.”

He finished cleaning up her wound, finding it easier to clean the blood away and put a large bandage on it, making sure it was sealed tightly and wouldn’t let any blood out.

“You can borrow one of my shirts,” Adrien said, already bending over his dresser and pulling out a random shirt. He turned back to her just as she was jumping off the counter and she eyed the shirt.

She reached out and took it, feeling the soft cotton run through her fingers. It was a grey shirt, a lot larger than something she would wear, but she could already feel the soft fabric becoming a blanket for her as she drifted off to sleep.

She sighed at it and looked up at him again, feeling more relaxed now that her shoulder was fixed up and he was still offering her warmth after the emotional roller coaster that was only a few minutes ago. Being cornered by the paparazzi was a little rattling, and with her previous encounters with being cornered by men, it obviously left her a little shaken.

But then Chat grabbed her arm, turned her away from them, and kissed her.

Personally, Marinette had hoped to keep what was going on between Ladybug and Chat Noir a secret a little longer. It’s not like she didn’t want people to know that Chat was no longer “available,” but it was also the idea of wanting to show him off. Not in the sense of treating him like an object, but rather telling people that she loved him.

“Thank you,” she finally said after a long moment, smiling at him.

He gave her a look that was between a smile and a look of guilt, and she faltered at it.

They exited the bathroom and walked across the room, not bothering to turn on the lights since that seemed like the last thing they wanted.

Adrien walked until he met his bed, and he collapsed on top of it with a huff of air and not bothering with finding another shirt to put on. He rubbed his hands up and down his face like his mind was betraying him, looking like he was about to sink into an ocean of guilt. Marinette stood awkwardly a few feet away from the bed, tapping the side of her leg and gripping the shirt a little harder.

When they both hesitated to talk, she made a frustrated noise and turned back to the bathroom, walking briskly towards its illuminating light. She entered and shut the door, walking to the center of the bathroom and tossing his shirt on the counter.

She didn’t know why she felt frustrated, or where the frustration came from, but all that she knew was there was a lack of communication between them, and that never worked out for them in the past.

She sighed, before taking the scissors again and twisting enough to reach the armpit area of her shirt. It was still bloody, and the idea of moving her shoulder created a painful twist in her stomach, so she figured she’d cut it open enough to slip it off her arms like a jacket.

Adrien obviously thought ahead of her and figured that this wouldn’t be the best attire to be in when he handed her the shirt, whether or not she was staying with him or leaving soon after.

She paused when the idea of _staying with him_ crossed her mind, and that lead to the implications that could happen. Her heartbeat did a double back flip as her mind flooded with images of several weeks ago, an intimate night that went from innocently hiding from the rain, to wrapped in bedsheets.

She looked down at the scissors she had in her hand, then down at the fabric of her shirt. She swallowed nervously as she tried to push aside her heated thoughts and tugged more on her shirt. She snipped just below the hold of her armpit and continued down the seam of her shirt to the hem.

Despite her attempts of pushing away thoughts that were meant to be in the gutter, she shivered as the cold scissors grazed her skin, and she closed her eyes as the images flooded her mind. The way the scissors cut down the side of her shirt reminded her of the way Chat Noir tore his claws down her suit, just barely grazing her skin. She remembered the way his hands went under her suit and pulled it more away from her, touching her skin and giving her a high that made her desperate.

She snipped through the hem of her shirt and the memory stopped, making her pause and look down at the side opening in her shirt. She dwelled on the memory for a moment, feeling a heat on her skin that desired his touch.

Or more evidently, not to have an awkward silence between them.

A little more saddened and frustrated, she tore off the rest of her shirt with a hiss, as the movement of her shoulder still caused her pain. She looked at herself in the mirror, noticing the bloodstains on her skin colored bra as well. She thought for a moment, considering how freeing it might feel to take it off, but also the fact that she was at Adrien’s house, and she didn’t want to be inappropriate.

_Would me being braless make him uncomfortable?_

She shoved those thoughts aside and reached behind her at the clasp, before separating the hooks and peeling it off her body. She slouched at the relief, and realized she actually needed the release and the pressure off her chest, since it felt like the anxiety was enough to make her think she had a larger size than she actually did.

She carefully pulled the shirt over her head, wincing as she had to move her shoulder again to push her arm through the hole. Once the shirt was on, she carefully walked back to the door, hesitating at it, then slowly sliding it open.

She hadn’t expected to see Adrien sitting up at the edge of his bed, his fingers raking through his hair and his face hidden from her.

“Adrien?” she called, concern in her tone.

He looked up at the sound of her voice and studied her for a moment, his eyes analyzing and seeing the concern in her eyes.

“You okay?” she asked, finally stepping away from the bathroom and walking towards him. She sat on the edge with him and placed a hand on his shoulder, trying to turn him towards her so she could see his face. Since he was refusing, she resorted to rubbing her hand along his shoulders, soothing his tense muscles that were making him tremble a little bit.

“What’s going on?” she asked him, taking her hand back and watching him expectantly.

He straightened a little bit before rubbing his hands through his hair again, looking tired and a little like he wanted to hit the hay.

“I messed up,” was all he said.

She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion, “How did you mess up?”

He finally looked back at her, “By kissing you.”

She softened a little bit and returned her hand to his back. She wasn’t frustrated because he did that at all, she was only irritated because they weren’t talking about it.

“Adrien,” she said, scooting a little closer and resting her chin on his shoulder, making him still at her touch. “I don’t blame you at all. We both know the importance of a superhero’s reputation,” she sighed, pulling back a little bit to place a gentle kiss to his bare shoulder. “You probably saved us from the situation possibly getting worse.”

“And I had to out us because of it.”

“Don’t blame yourself,” she said, sitting up to meet his eyes, which he tentatively did. “They weren’t listening to me, and I was going to make it worse if you didn’t step in, which I’m glad you did.” She dropped her hand when he wasn’t responding to her touch, feeling discouraged by it. “In the end, you saved my reputation when I couldn’t, and… well, now the whole world will know that you’re mine.”

Adrien looked up at her then, his gaze soft and studying her like he’s done before, a soft glow that erupted from his eyes and making her feel safe. She understood now the feeling of being secure and safe with someone. She felt that way with him.

Adrien took a deep breath before reaching out to her, taking her hand in his and gently stroking her knuckles. He was silent as he stroked her, his gaze on their interlocked hands while she stared at him.

“I guess you’re right,” he said, his voice still heavy.

“I know I’m right,” she said, trying for a smile.

He looked back up at her finally, meeting her eyes after what felt like a long time. Like he was just coming back from a trip and he hasn’t seen her physical form in a while.

He seemed to latch onto her growing playful tone, and smiled back at her, still refusing to let go of her hand. “I guess there are some perks to the world knowing you’re mine.”

She smiled sweetly at him, “Like the fact that you can finally be all mushy with me when we’re doing interviews?”

“What are you talking about? I’m mushy all the time when I’m with you!”

“Yeah, and it’s going to increase ten-fold now that the cat’s out of the bag.”

They both giggled at the lame pun and the ridiculousness of the situation, how all in all, it wasn’t something they needed to worry about, especially since there were millions of people wanting for them to get together for ages.

When it really came down to it, it was something to relish in, because now there was a satisfying tremor in the world that made her realize that she could finally love him publicly. No more dealing with people asking her when she and Chat Noir were going to get together, which is something ironic to be relieved about. And no more feeling like she had to stand tall by herself and call herself an independent person, even though she was.

It was okay to rely on people every once in a while, and she’s been doing that with Chat Noir for years, leaning on him when she couldn’t stand straight herself.

She realized that she was absolutely not ashamed when it came to public affection with him. She calls that a step in the right direction.

“What are you doing tomorrow night?” Adrien suddenly blurted, jumping her from her thoughts.

“Uh,” she said dumbly as her brain restarted. “I-I don’t know, maybe, homework?”

He hummed, nodding at her. “Okay, so how do you feel about meeting me at eight o’clock on top of that nice restaurant down by the Eiffel Tower?”

She froze, squinting her eyes in suspicion. “What are you up to, Agreste.”

He grinned, his charismatic charm returning full throttle. “It’s a surprise, but I fully expect you to be there by eight. Sharp.”

She giggled, “Alright, alright, I’ll play your game.” She eyes him carefully, “But don’t expect me _not_ to be prepared it you decide to jump me from behind.”

He pouted, “And why would I do that?”

“Because you’ve done it before!”

“Okay, okay,” he said, chuckling to himself as she rolled her eyes at him. “I won’t scare you _that_ much.”

She raised an eyebrow, “Uh huh.”

“Hey, c’mon,” he said, spreading his arms just to prove his point. “Since when have I let you down?”

“New York,” she said, her raised eyebrow and her sarcastic tone implying she was only teasing.

“Let’s not forget who convinced whose father here,” Adrien said, smirking at her. “Besides, I thought we weren’t going to talk about that anymore.”

“Yeah, well,” she said, smiling and leaning in. “I never want to forget the way you held me when you came back.

He smiled at her, “My Lady,” he said, his tone hushed as she neared him, wanting his closeness. “I will always come back.”

. . .

Ladybug ran full speed across the rooftops, enjoying the peaceful night after her very uneventful patrol. Usually, patrol lasted longer, but she has been asked to cut it short by a certain kitten and he seemed like he wasn’t taking no for an answer. Deciding it would be less painful for her to say yes to his adorable little kitten eyes (that she is absolutely not affected by) than letting him be pouty and buggy all the next day, she decided to take the latter.

And in all honesty, she was nervous.

She jumped across an alleyway and rolled across the next rooftop before standing up and running again. She vaulted over a chimney and found herself at the edge of a large apartment complex, the next rooftop pretty far away since it was divided by a street. She looked up and saw the rooftop she was supposed to be meeting Chat at in only a few short minutes, and she felt her heart stumble in her chest.

Even while they were together, fully aware of their identities, and they’ve been exposed to the most vulnerable part of themselves in front of each other, she still found herself nervous and excited to see him.

She guessed when you love someone that’s how it usually went.

She used her yo-yo to attach to another taller building before yanking on it and the magical string pulled her towards the opposite street. She swung upwards and did a backflip in the air, before hitting the rooftop with her feet, then rolling to the side to avoid crippling her legs. Then she stood with a bounce to her feet, dusting off the dirt from her suit.

“And she sticks the landing!”

She jolted when the familiar voice pierced the night air and she whipped around, only stopping with relief as a familiar pair of green eyes met hers.

“I was wondering when you were gonna come over here,” Chat Noir said, grinning as he walked up to her. “You seemed stuck on that building over there.”

She crossed her arms in defense, “Ha Ha, very funny. The large street just startled me, that’s all.”

He raised an eyebrow in challenge, “And yet you had no problem getting over here.”

She pouted, “Because I’m a superhero and I can do things my civilian self can’t!”

He raised his hands in surrender, “Whoa, no need to get all sassy Bugaboo,” he said, studying her as his gaze returned to his usual playfulness. “Although, I have to admit, it’s a good color on you.”

She punched his shoulder as he laughed playfully at her, his genuine smile and little laugh softening her.

“So,” she said, reaching up and wiping the sweat from her forehead. “What’s this thing you wanted to show me?”

His face immediately lit up like it was Christmas morning and he grabbed her hand, tugging her forward. “I literally have been up here for hours setting this up, so I expect you to be in awe.”

She giggled as she let him pull her along, “Alright. But I really hope you didn’t go through all the trouble of ordering us takeout and lighting a few can…dles…” Her words fell flat to the ground as they rounded a corner and came to a sight that made her eyes widen in astonishment.

There were warm little Christmas lights that glowed a pale white hanging above their heads, stretching across the small part of the rooftop that was decorated, with a bunch of different red and black ribbons hanging every few feet along the wires. Pedals and candles littered the rooftop, the flames flickering along the clean rooftop as if it had been swept. At the edge of the rooftop, right in the center where the Eiffel Tower glowed in the distance, there was a small table with little cushioned chairs and a white tablecloth. Silver trays and silverware were placed where the two seats were on the table, and three long candles that were lit in the center flickered in the gentle, warm breeze. There were two white boxes on the ground next to the table, stacked there, and a smaller box that sat next to them.

“I did order takeout,” Chat said, catching her attention as he backed up into the beautiful scene. He spread his arms continuing with a smile on his face. “I just decided to go the extra mile.”

She faltered, “M-mile?” she said, looking up at the lights, the elegant scene and the pedals and candles scattered everywhere. “Chat, this looks more like a hundred miles!”

He looked around like the thought hadn’t crossed his mind. “Huh,” he said, turning in a circle and taking in his own work like he was seeing it for the first time. He looked at her hesitantly, “Too much?”

She blanched, “What? No!” She faltered, “I-I mean, you—you didn’t have to go through all this trouble for a date, Kitty.”

He regained his charisma and smiled at her softly, “Well, if it’s you, it’s always worth it.”

She crossed her arms at her chest and gave him a hesitant look, “Chat, you…” she looked around the beautiful scene, a longing appearing in her chest. “You didn’t have to do all this.” She suddenly became very aware of the sweat on the back of her neck from her patrol. “I’m all gross and post patrol glow!” 

He furrowed his eyebrows, “Post patrol glow?” He sniffed the air, “You mean your sweat?”

She backed away instinctively, “You can smell it?!”

“Well, yeah,” he said, his tone nonchalant. “I do have heightened senses, My Lady.”

She groaned and turned away; embarrassment written on her cheeks. She tried to wipe away the gleam off her skin, but she could still smell the embarrassing effects of her workout.

“You okay over there?”

She could tell from his tone he was trying not to laugh at her and she glared in his general direction. “Screw off, Kitty.”

He chuckled lowly, “Aw, is that how you treat your boyfriend after he spent hours on end making all this for you?”

She was quiet, softening a bit as she looked back up at the lights, their soft glow calming her a little bit. He did work really hard on all this, and that must’ve explained why he wasn’t answering any of her texts all afternoon. He did all this for her, setting up a romantic date for them both to enjoy each other’s company. Now, she was throwing it all in his face, and possibly ruining the mood with her embarrassing “post patrol glow,” as she put it.

“I’m sorry,” she said, her tone softer as she turned back to him. “I’m just… I was not ready for this.”

He smiled at her gently, “That’s what a surprise is, Bugaboo.”

She was trying really hard not to show that she was being affected by all the nicknames he was using on her tonight. Whenever he needed to help calm her down, his voice alone anchored her, and his nicknames for her made her feel safe. Then came his embrace and a kiss, telling her how much he really treasured her.

“Sorry,” she said, trying to hold her insecurities at bay while she turned and met his gaze. “I just don’t want you to be, you know, turned off by—”

“You think I’ll get turned off by something that happens naturally?” Chat gave her an incredulous look.

She faltered, “Well—”

“My Lady,” he suddenly stepped closer and she jumped. He took her hand and stroked his thumb along her knuckles. “If I were that kind of guy, then I wouldn’t be a superhero right now.” He studied her for a moment before seemingly deciding on something, “What if I told you that you smelled like vanilla right now?”

She blanched, “What?”

He nodded eagerly, “Yeah!” he brought her hand up to his face and he sniffed the inside of her palm before placing delicate kisses on her wrist. “You don’t need to be embarrassed with me, Bugaboo,” he said, smiling at her. Suddenly a playful smirk appeared on his lips. “And don’t worry, if you ever smell really bad, I’ll make sure to tell you, so you don’t embarrass yourself in front of others.”

This earned him a slap upside the head, making him laugh loudly at her.

“So, anyway,” he said, his tone becoming more soothing again. “Will you come eat with me?”

“You didn’t have to do this, Kitty,” she said, but she was already smiling and making up her mind.

He smiled at her, “But I wanted to.”

She watched him for a second. “Yeah but—” she stopped when he raised her hand again and kissed her knuckles, making the words she was going to say stall in the back of her throat.

“It would be an insult to refuse me, My Lady,” he said, before kissing her knuckles again, watching her reaction.

Despite knowing and feeling his romantic gestures for years now and being his partner for longer, she still went red in the face when he did that. She guessed no matter how long she would know him, learn him and love him even more, she would never get used to the feeling of him loving her back.

She realized she didn’t want to.

She sighed, casting her gaze past him and at the boxes and the table, smiling a little to herself. “Well, I guess I can’t turn down the offer of free food, now can I?” she said, turning back to his gaze.

He moved so fast she barely saw him, but as soon as he hoisted her up on his shoulder and spun around with her laughing and shrieking, she knew she was never going to get used to this feeling. He was laughing to, his deep, excited voice bubbling up from the surface and making her heart warm as he spun her on his shoulder.

He popped her off his shoulder and took her face in his hands, before pressing his lips delicately to hers. Her cheeks squished between his hands and she cringed at the feeling, but she didn’t dare pull away from him, liking the sensation of breathing him in.

He finally pulled away and beamed at her, and she wondered why a simple yes made him so ecstatic. But then she considered where this small step could lead to in the future, and she realized, saying “yes” to him, also had a deeper meaning to it. Especially when she considered his’ and hers’ future.

They sat at the table together, Chat pulling out her chair for her and helping her in before sitting down himself. He then brought out the boxes from beneath the table and opened them, the aroma of alfredo sauce, warmed noodles and garlic bread filling her senses. He served her, spilling the delicious noodles and white sauce onto her plate and then handing her a fork and some garlic bread. He soon spooned his own meal of the same but with red sauce and they began eating, barely having time to swallow their food between the laughing and giggling they did.

She was curious about what his tasted like and when she asked, he offered her a bite. He held the fork out to her with twirled red noodles and she took it in her mouth, making a satisfied hum from the taste. She offered him the same and she fed him, although he completely missed just as the noodles slipped off the fork and into his own plate, making them both laugh.

Below them on the street was the restaurant Chat had ordered from, or most likely Adrien. Its tone and mood lighting were about the same to Chat’s little project on the roof of the restaurant, except his was more intimate and meant for just the two of them. Couples and families laughed outside and talked as the waiters brought tray after tray of what smelled like more Italian food. The aroma alone only made her mouth water more when they finished with their own food.

Chat reached down to the smaller box below the table, and she watched as he carefully opened the top to reveal a small slice of a chocolate mudslide cake with strawberry syrup and a cherry on top. Or what it’s more famously known for, the Ladybug and Chat Noir special.

She mocked him at his choice, but only smiled when he took his fork and offered her the first bite. She rolled her eyes and took the small bite from his fork. The cake seemed to melt in her mouth, its warmth spreading down her body and the strawberry syrup only adding to the sweet flavor. They both dug into the cake, giggling as the sugar began to take affect on their bodies and making everything even better.

Suddenly, in the middle of a conversation they were having after finishing the food and the cake, soft violin music combined with a piano began filling the air from the restaurant below. It was loud and melodic, bouncing off the buildings walls and reaching their ears in a matter of moments. It was slow and delicate, almost with a sad tone in the chords but also a longing and filling resonating in their bones.

She already knew what Chat was doing when he got out of his seat.

“May I have this dance, My Lady?” he asked, offering her his hand and a smile.

She smiled at him, taking his hand and standing, “You may, Kitty.”

He pulled her away from the table and into a circle that was surrounded by a few candles, turning to her with a soft look. He pulled her close to him until their stomachs were touching, wrapping an arm around her waist and holding her hand up next to them. She reached up and held his shoulder with her free hand and met his kind eyes, smiling up at him.

They both closed their eyes and leaned forward, his cheek pressing against her temple as they just swayed to the gentle music. She could vaguely hear the people below in the restaurant dancing and stepping together along with the music, no doubt doing something like the box dance or something along the lines of a waltz.

But not them. No, Ladybug and Chat Noir swayed to the music, not taking in the magic of dancing, not feeling the thrill of it. They felt the presence of each other instead, dancing under the moonlight, surrounded by candles, under the Christmas lights and in each other’s arms. They couldn’t ask for anything better, not when they had each other.

Ladybug felt herself falling for him all over again, her denial in the beginning, her realization she actually loved him, and then the painfully slow progression of finally getting that adorkable kitty to kiss her.

But if it meant going through all that again and meeting him right here in this moment, this beautiful moment they somehow have stolen away from their crazy lives…

She most definitely would do it again.

And she had no doubt that Chat Noir, or Adrien, would try and top this rooftop date sometime in the future, but for now, this was definitely, the best moment of her life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Awww how sweet <3
> 
> "Finding You" is ending tomorrow awwww. I'm so happy people are enjoying this fic, and hopefully you guys will be happy with the ending <3


	31. Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finding you, is finding home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter for yall <3
> 
> Enjoy!

Chapter 31: Home

What is the meaning of home? Well, in the dictionary it says that it is a place where one lives permanently, settles down and starts a new, fresh life. You can take all your stuff with you to your new, expected home, moving in with your boxes and that mattress you sort of stole from your roommate. You can place all your little ornaments and Christmas lights up how you want, and make it cozy, set up your computer with a bag of popcorn and watch nostalgic movies.

But if you dive a little deeper, you can find a whole new meaning to the word, “home.” The Latin root we use to say “human” is actually the same word we use to describe “home.”

Now, we’ve all heard the saying “your home is where your heart is,” and some people just think that only refers to what you love and the things you treasure. Sort of, but if you dive deeper, and especially if you fall in love with someone very important to you… home becomes a whole new word.

Every beat your heart pounds in your chest means you’re living, but living for what? Yes, you are alive, and you are meant to be here for a reason, but what is that reason? Unfortunately, I cannot answer this question for you, you have to go looking yourself. But just because you have not found it yet, does not mean it is not there.

Our goal as humans, and possibly the one thing most of us have in common, is the desire to be loved. To be treasured, and not just held accountable for our future actions, more like we want to know and learn about how to be a better person. When it comes down to it, we are confused, strange little creatures that walk around aimlessly while looking for the other half of our soul. And sometimes, we never find it.

We search, and our ultimate hope is that we find someone that will love us no matter what. Home is not just the walls and the ceiling over your head, or the painted colors of each of our rooms. No, home is the person that decided to provide you with those walls, walls that are filled with pictures, memories and possibly silly little childhood moments you’ve long forgotten. Home is the center, your center, of where you came from, but it does not define you. Home is what you make of it, whether you work for it and provide your own home and happiness, or you ultimately find someone who ends up making you happier than you think you deserve.

Home is a person you love and hold dear to your heart, and Marinette finds out that maybe, she’s just found it.

. . .

Marinette was in a state of peace, tranquility, and solitude. It was comforting, like standing on a beach alone while you watched the sun dip behind the horizon for what felt like the millionth time. She never got tired of it though, watching the same sunset every night, the sky turning all sorts of different colors. Pink, orange, yellow and sometimes what looked like a flashing green light in the distance when the sun would dip below the ocean.

She never got enough of it, which is why when a certain someone knocked on her skylight and woke her from that tranquil state, she almost threw a pillow at him.

“Go away,” she whined, flailing an arm in a motion to _leave her alone._

There was a pause where she dwelled in the silence, relaxing again into her warm sheets and sinking back into the beach dream. But there was another light rapping on the skylight, and she groaned loudly, slamming a pillow over her ear to block out the horrendous noise.

She eventually gave up and dropped the pillow next to her, tentatively opening her eyes in a daze and looking up. Moonlight streamed through the window, and the stars sparkled above her head looking like little twinkling lights. She guessed it was still peaceful, and she figured that maybe it was just rain starting to hit her skylight, but as she searched the sky above, she saw no clouds.

Becoming more nervous by the second, she carefully sat up and squinted through the glass, feeling her heart starting to race. What if it was someone spying on her?

Her heart must’ve leapt out of her chest when she saw the gloved hand carefully knock on the skylight again, its taps more hesitant and quieter this time.

She relaxed when she recognized the hand, feeling herself calm down from the fear. But then her nervous spiked and she was suddenly frustrated, why was he here this late at night? Was there an akuma attack? Did he want cuddles?... Is he okay?

Anger faded and was replaced by concern as she carefully reached up to the skylight, unlocking it then pushing it open. The night air immediately assaulted her, and she shivered in her short pajamas, meeting the eyes of a cat that looked a little too perky as he crouched in front of her.

“Hi,” Chat Noir said, smiling at her.

“What are you doing?” she asked, yawning and rubbing her eyes.

He chuckled, “Nice to see you to, Princess.”

She made a face at the old nickname, scrunching her face together and glaring at him. “You shouldn’t be here,” she said, her voice raspy from sleep. “What time is it?”

“Almost two am,” Chat responded, making her chuckle in response.

“Of course,” she said, rubbing her eyes again to try and wake herself up. “And what could _possibly_ lead you to believe that I would like to be up at this hour?”

He shrugged, “Couldn’t sleep, I missed you.”

She hummed, finally dropping her hand and looking at him, a bit of saltiness on her tone as she spoke. “And that gives you the right to come see me while I’m sleeping?”

He smirked, “I knew you wouldn’t mind.”

“Oh, I’m sure.”

“Come with me,” he said, standing up and outstretching his hand to her, offering her a warm smile.

She eyed him suspiciously, “I’m not in danger, am I?”

He laughed. “No, but I am always willing to be your knight in shining armor.” He gestured her to take his hand, “C’mon, I want to show you something.”

She glanced at his hand then back at his eyes. They held nothing but warmth and what she suspected was her heart, and if she can trust him with her heart, than she can trust him with anything.

She called gently to Tikki and the little kwami put up little to no fight on transforming her when she saw Chat. Once she was ready to go, and her room was properly shut tight, the two superheroes leapt off into the darkness of the night, trying to be as silent as possible when running across the rooftops. Although, it was almost impossible with the amount of times Ladybug stumbled because of her sleepiness and Chat Noir’s puns were absolutely not helping.

She was so tired she was laughing at his lame puns!

They came to a stop a top the Notre Dame, its giant towers looming over the superheroes as they crossed between them. They walked along the roof and rounded the center piece that looked like a giant needle and continued until they reached the other side of the building. They sat down together and starting yapping about nothing and everything, complaining about the amount of schoolwork this week, complimenting their friend’s projects. They even brought up the topic of the whole world knowing they’re together now, which most of the press has been really supportive of.

Everything seemed to glow in that moment, and Ladybug felt a deep and heavy longing in her chest that cracked open. It seemed like she has buried something deep within herself, packaging it up in a small box and storing it to the darkest part of her heart, where no one can find it. She had trouble finding it again, even when she was curious about what this thing was that she has forgotten about.

She blindly searched in the dark, searching for answers in the tiny box that seemed to hold all the answers. She was blindfolded to everything in there, the endless void that was the piece of her heart that was missing, and she tried to fill that void with a little box of memories. Memories of her childhood and seeing her mother and father kiss each other of Christmas morning, the evening she caught Nino and Alya dancing in refrigerator light at a school sleepover. The forever loving gentleness that Tikki had in her spirit, always offering her kind words and encouraging sentiments.

She thought she could fill that void with things she wished she had, but she spent so long pitying herself and pining after someone she believed she couldn’t have, she’d been blinded to what was put right in front of her face.

She carefully turned her head to Chat Noir, and his lips were moving as if he were talking, but she didn’t hear the words. All she heard in that moment, was the crinkling of paper, the slide of a ribbon and the opening of a box she spent so long trying to find. Chat Noir took that box in his hands and he cradled it carefully, before opening it wide and smiling down at it, watching her happiness unfold before his eyes. Then, he placed a hand on his chest, and it was like an energy passed from where his heart was, and instead of flowing into the box, he reached out and directed the energy towards her.

She felt it. She felt it settle within her as she stared at him. She felt him moving into her heart, setting up shop and preparing to work in that little void to put something there she’d never had before.

Love. Love that came from him.

That’s why the void has always been there. It was because that spot was always meant for him to reserve, a little part of her that had such a big meaning.

“Chat,” she suddenly said.

He turned to her, “What?”

She reconsidered as her face went red and she turned away with crimson cheeks, embarrassment on what she was going to say.

“What?” Chat cried louder, turning his undivided attention on her again.

“Nothing,” she said quietly, avoiding his gaze.

“I doubt that,” he said, his usual playfulness in his tone. “Tell me what’s up.”

“Nothing, it’s stupid!” she said, her cheeks reddening more.

“Don’t be so certain,” he said, leaning over to her and bumping her shoulder with his, which softened her a little bit. “I’ll decide whether it’s stupid or not. We both know our own opinions of ourselves need to be raised to a more positive level.”

She giggled at that, which relaxed her, but she still hesitated and refused to meet his eyes. She instead focused her attention on the city, and the lights glowing in the distance of people still awake at this ungodly hour. Streetlamps flickered in the night, and even though it was late a few cars still hummed along the dark roads of the city.

She felt his fingers touch her chin and he gently pulled her gaze to his, his eyes gentle as he focused on her. He stole her breath away every time he fixed her with that look she loved so much, a look that was meant only for her. A look that said a thousand different confessions in only three little words, all contained in a look. It was astonishing to look at, like his eyes held the universe and many more promises.

“My Lady,” he said, his voice hushed. “You can tell me, can’t you?”

She relaxed under his gaze and felt herself slowly opening up, like he was opening up her emotions like he did with the box he found in her heart. She tore her gaze from him and sighed heavily, lifting her eyes to the sky and watching again as the stars twinkled above her. They were little spotlights shining down on them, giving her the feeling and the confidence, she needed to continue.

“I just…” she trailed off, looking for the right word. She bowed her head in thought and only listened to his gentle breathing. She could feel his stare and his attention only staying on her, which she liked. She wanted only his eyes on her, which might seem a little selfish and obsessive, but really, she just wanted to be with him, and wanted him to continue loving her like he claims every day.

“It’s nothing bad,” she said, finally settling her eyes back on the city as she continued. “I’m actually really… happy.”

Chat shifted next to her, his being restless. “And… why is that?”

That’s when she turned her gaze back to him, meeting his eyes. His held hers, their gazes locked on and held on, like they wanted to stay like that forever. Like if they let go, they would never be able to see each other again.

They stared into each other’s soul that day, and Ladybug has never felt more vulnerable, secure, safe and happy when his eyes were on her.

“I found my home,” she finished, smiling at him softly.

Chat’s eyes softened as well, his gaze becoming overwhelmingly loving towards her and she felt her heart stumble over itself. He leaned closer and kissed her forehead, a gentle gesture she leaned into that spoke more than any of the thousand kisses he’s given her before.

He pulled away and rested his forehead against hers, breathing in her scent.

“My Lady, you’ve always been home.”

She snuggled closer to him then and he pulled her into him, holding each other tightly as the night continued on, the world continued spinning, and the river kept turning. The wall that was built a long time ago, years of blocking each other out and keeping their secrets, was finally coming down.

And no, the wall wasn’t slowly torn down brick by brick, it wasn’t blown up by dynamite and ended in disaster.

No.

No, the river that was their love for each other came crashing down the bank, drowning the land and everything that threatened it. What used to be a fragile, broken creak came surging forward at the wall, its powerful waves roaring as it neared the thing that separated them for eternity.

But the river didn’t simply hit the wall, it didn’t even have to hit it again. The river came barreling forward in all its glory…

And completely shattered what wall they had between them.

. . .

_“Ladybug.”_

_“Chat Noir.”_

_“Do you remember that day you fell out my window?”_

_“I sure do, you came jumping out after me.”_

_“Well, you fell on the concrete, nearly broke your ass. And you were bleedin’ all over the place. And I rushed you to the hospital, you remember that?”_

_“Yes, I do.”_

_“Well, there’s something I never told you about that night.”_

_“What didn’t you tell me?”_

_“While you were sitting in the backseat, smoking a cigarette, you thought was gonna be your last. I was falling deep, deeply in love with you. And I never told you ‘til now.”_

_“Ah, home, let me come home. Home is wherever I’m with you.”_

_“Ah, home, let me come home…_

_Home is where I’m alone with you._

_Home is where I’m alone with you._

_Because home is where I’m alone…_

_With you.”_

THE END.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Annnnnnndddddd DONE. 
> 
> Whew! That took longer than expected lol, but I'm glad I did it nonetheless. Thank you guys so much for all the wonderful kudos and comments, I appreciate you all so much. 
> 
> ALSO!!!  
> Be on the look out for updates on "Afterglow" cause they are coming SOON   
> (And I may or may not have something BIG PLANNED for after I'm finished)
> 
> Anyways, thanks you guys, you're the real gems <3
> 
> ~being_happy  
> insta: @being_happy_official  
> CR for song (at the end): "Home" by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros


End file.
